Election 2020: Sissala East Parliamentary race takes a new turn, as PNC members defect to NPP
With less than a week to Ghana’s general elections, the race to become the Member of Parliament in the Sissala East constituency in the Upper West Region has taken a new twist as some members of the People’s National Convention (PNC) defected to the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The group in a statement read by Alhaj Moro Ahmed Baba (Baba Pele) announced the defection in Tumu on Wednesday 2nd, December 2020.
“On behalf of a group of PNC people numbering 80 wish to officially come out and notify people in Sissala East constituency and Nana Addo that this 80 man force has defected with effect from today to the NPP.” He said
He reiterated their resolve to support the NPP Parliamentary candidate for the Sissala East constituency, Issahaku Amidu Chinnia who defeated the incumbent MP in the parliamentary primaries.
Alhaj Baba who was the campaign manager for the PNC Parliamentary Candidate and acted as Secretary to the group of defectors said their decision would boost the chances of the NPP in both Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
The late dramatic turn of events cast doubts on the chances of the PNC parliamentary candidate to annex the seat in the upcoming election slated for December 7, 2020.
The Campaign Manager of the NPP in the constituency, Mr. Suleman Benin on behalf of the constituency executives, said the party is honored and expressed appreciation to the defectors.
The PNC has won the Sissala East constituency seat in 2000 and 2004, and came second in 2016 to the NPP with just 796 votes difference in the parliamentary elections.
In 2016, Abass Ridwan Dauda of the NPP won with 8,811 and Kanton Kingsley Kasim of the PNC came second with 8,015 while Alijata Sulemana Gbentie of the NDC had 7,846.
Adil Fuseini
