There’s confusion as what actually led to the defeat of one of prominent Members of Parliament at last Saturday’s Parliamentary primaries of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Many have attributed the defeat of former Deputy Housing Minister, Eugene Boakye Antwi, in the Subin constituency to his bold call for the resignation of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta due to concerns about Ghana’s distressed economy.
Mr Boakye-Antwi, a prominent figure in the Ashanti Region, has been labeled a sacrificial lamb for his failed attempt to topple the Finance Minister through a parliamentary revolt, leading to opposition from what has become known as the “Akyem mafia”.
Despite his honorable intentions to bring about economic change, Eugene also faced challenges, by openly opposing the sitting president and advocating for Alan Kyerematen instead of the vice president as the NPP flagbearer.
But contrary opinions suggest that his defeat may be unrelated to his stance on Ofori-Atta, citing Andy Appiah’s victory in Asante Akim North despite making similar calls for the finance minister’s resignation.
Those similar with the Subin Constituency distanced the President, Nana Akufo-Addo, Dr Bawumia and Ofori-Atta frrom the defeat citing Mr Boakye Antwi’s lack of popularity in his constituency.
To them, his lack of popularity, coupled with his opposition to powerful figures, likely contributed to his defeat in the parliamentary primaries. His was evident since the 2020 election.
His decision to go against the tide was viewed as a political gamble that ultimately did not resonate with the delegates, who had already made up their minds about their preferred leadership for the 2024 election.
