Former Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr. Joe Gidisu’s quest to retain his seat in Parliament (MP) is seriously under threat as two other aspirants, including the 2012 defeated aspiring parliamentary candidate, Mr. Gabby Alex Hottordze, have entered the race to contest him in the forthcoming National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries in Central Tongu Constituency .
Mr. Hottordze, who is the deputy Director of Human Resource at the Ministry of Health (MoH) and a business tycoon, and Mr. Alfred Agbenator had already filed their nomination and look battle ready to unseat the incumbent MP.
Mr. Gidisu, sometime last year, reportedly told some party executives at Mafi-Adidome and Mafi-Kumasi that he would not contest the Central Tongu seat in 2016 elections so that he could give the youth the chance to also enter Parliament.
But, he recently made a u-turn and was the first to pick and file his nomination papers to contest the primaries.
Today gathered that even before the opening of nominations by the NDC, Mr. Gidisu had been moving from one place to another in the Central Tongu constituency calling on eligible voters and delegates to vote for him.
But the other aspirants—Gabby Alex Hottordze and Mr. Alfred Agbenator—claimed they are ready to face Hon. Gidisu.
The Central Tongu constituency seat which is currently held by Hon. Gidisu is one of the safe seats that has been held by the ruling NDC since 1992.
One of Mr. Gidisu’s challengers, Mr. Hottordze, told Today in an interview that he had to succumb to numerous requests from his constituents, opinion leaders and chiefs in the constituency to vie for the NDC ticket in the 2016 parliamentary elections.
He said his decision to enter the race was therefore an answer to calls by the people for him to represent them in Parliament.
According to him, he is not in the race to add up to the numbers or enrich his Curriculum Vitae (CV), but then a call to serve and ensure collective improvement in the living conditions of his people.
The 45-year-old human resource development consultant stated that it was clear the people of Central Tongu were looking for a dynamic, humble, approachable, development-oriented modern leader who would leave behind concrete legacies for future generations, and asserted that “that time and that leader has come.”
He pledged to run a campaign of issues focusing on the great potential of the constituency like agriculture which when given strategic direction can employ many youth in the constituency and beyond.
Mr. Hottordze, who was the former Central Tongu Constituency Secretary of the NDC, centered his 2016 election campaign message on three thematic pillars—human resource capital development, entrepreneur development and grassroots party development.
“I would liaise with all potential non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and business oriented personalities within and outside Central Tongu to embark on a number of community development programmes and projects to improve the standard of living of the people as well as address the issue of youth unemployment in the constituency,” he added.
He said: “Central Tongu deserves better as the third largest voter for the NDC in the country. Hon. Gidisu, the former Minster of Roads and Highways, we can only give him that respect but l am more competent to do the work more than what he did.”
Mr. Hottordze, a native of Mafi-Kumasi in the Central Tongu, said the days of the sitting MP were long gone and that the earlier Hon. Gidisu understood that the better, because the people are calling on him to represent them and that is exactly what he is going to do.
According to him, in spite of Central Tongu’s rich human resource and development potential, the traditional areas within the constituency are still underdeveloped.
He bemoaned the fact that most towns and villages in Central Tongu lacked basic social, infrastructure and other challenges which could be resolved, asserting that he has what it takes to promote rapid development of the area and therefore, called for the support from eligible voters to win the slot.
When asked why he wanted to unseat Hon. Gidisu, he stressed that there was the need for change to bring about development to Central Tongu.
Mr. Hottordze made the declaration soon after he submitted his nomination forms at the Central North NDC constituency party office in Adidome last week.
“Hon Gidisu has had his days in the sun; he has had his time in the spotlight, the people in Central Tongu are grateful to him, and I lead the chorus to say, we are grateful to him for sixteen (16) long years of meritorious service and sacrifice, but the time has come for him to hang up his boots,” Mr. Hottordze stated.
When asked about his impression about Mr. Alfred Agbenator, who has also filed his nomination to contest the parliamentary primary, Mr. Hottordze noted that as far as he was concerned, the race is between him and Hon. Gidisu.
He therefore appealed for unity, emphasising that this is a family contest and that none of the three aspirants should be seen as an enemy.
He enjoined all his supporters to follow his example in ignoring all provocations and attacks because this was not a contest about who is good at launching attacks but a contest for a visionary and competent person who will make Central Tongu proud.
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