There is a serious tension within the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Cape Coast South Constituency as they prepare for vetting of parliament aspirants on Friday, 26th July, 2019. It is alleged that the Member of Parliament for Cape Coast South Constituency, Hon. Kwaku Ricketts Hagan in collaboration with the Regional Chairman, Mr. E. K. T. Addo and the Regional Treasurer, Eric Esuah are hatching diabolic plans to disqualify Mr. Henry Osei, popularly known as 'Shoe' from contesting the upcoming parliamentary candidates elections.
There is a rumour that some members of the campaign team of Hon. Ricketts Hagan have sent a petition to the vetting committee to disqualify Mr. Henry Osei from the contest. That has been their plan since their candidate rescinded his decision to seek re-election.
BACKGROUND
Hon. Kwaku Ricketts Hagan declared that he would not seek re-election in 2020 since he believed the two terms in parliament was enough for him. He consistently made that pronouncement until he made a u-turn in March, 2019.
Since he decided to run for 2020, several attempts were made to persuade his main contender who is a forerunner in this pending primaries to step down for him. His initial attempt was to lie to people that His Excellency John Dramani Mahama will talk to Mr. Henry Osei to step down for him and his u-turn was a pressure from the former president. It turned out to be false when the former president visited the constituency in April, 2019. The former president in a meeting with the constituency executive members stated that competition is healthy and it energises the party. Meaning, he has not and will not asked anyone to step down from any contest.
After this exposé by the former president, Hon. Ricketts Hagan had no option than to use the Regional Executives of the party. Among the Regional Executives, only the Regional Chairman and the Treasurer who are collaborating with him to pursue his agenda. The Regional Chairman and Treasurer met Mr. Henry Osei and persuaded him to step down for Hon. Ricketts Hagan but their discussions yielded no fruit.
Since then, there has been acrimonious situation in the constituency because the MP sees Mr. Henry Osei as a threat and until the latter is out of the contest, he (MP) cannot sail through the primaries, thus their plans to disqualify Mr. Henry Osei.
Meanwhile, all odds are against the MP in this parliamentary primaries due to his behaviour after 2016 general elections.
Mr. Henry Osei is a new hope for the party delegates, the grassroots and the general constituents.
There is no basis to disqualify Mr. Henry Osei because he qualifies per the party's constitution and the article 94 of the national constitution.