Weija-Gbawe NPP primaries: Tina Mensah allegedly pays delegates to sign petition for disqualification of Jerry Ahmed Shaib

As the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Weija-Gbawe constituency prepares to elect a parliamentary candidate for the December elections, rumours are rife that the incumbent Member of Parliament for the area, Tina Naa Ayele Mensah, has paid delegates to sign a petition against Jerry Ahmed Shaib, the Chief Executive Officer of the Coastal Development Authority (CODA), who is also vying for the seat.

This is fueling tensions in the constituency between the camps of the sitting MP who also doubles as the Deputy Minister for Health and the CODA boss who is said to be making serious inroads.

The petition, initiated by the incumbent MP, aims to disqualify Jerry Ahmed Shaib from the NPP parliamentary primaries. Despite Shaib officially submitting his nomination form, the incumbent MP claims that some party executives, influenced by financial considerations, have imposed Shaib on the constituents, even though he does not reside in the constituency.

In a bid to secure her position unopposed for the second time, Tina Mensah has submitted a petition to the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NPP, urging an investigation into the matter.

Over the weekend, the incumbent MP, through one of her aides, called delegates to a hotel where they signed the petition against the CODA CEO. This move comes as the Greater Accra Regional Secretary of the NPP, Mr Daniel Parker Odarlai France, emphasized that no sitting MP would be allowed to run unopposed in the upcoming parliamentary primaries.

The constituency is currently divided, with some delegates supporting the CODA CEO, while others side with the incumbent MP. To bolster her efforts, the incumbent MP, along with party executives and polling agents, raised concerns about Shaib’s eligibility, accusing him of being a stranger to the constituency and not actively contributing to the party’s growth.

The convener of the press conference, Seth Apreku-Danquah, asserted that Shaib’s activities posed a threat to the peace, harmony, and unity of the constituency, violating NPP rules governing parliamentary primaries.

On the other hand, some constituents who have benefited from projects undertaken by the CODA CEO express support for his candidacy, citing dissatisfaction with the incumbent MP’s performance.