John Boadu confirms selection of slain Mfantseman MP's widow as NPP's replacement

Enoch Darfah Frimpong Politics Oct - 13 - 2020 , 18:44 2 minutes read

The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr John Boadu has confirmed the selection of Ophelia Hayford, the widow of the late Member of Parliament for Mfantseman as a replacement nominee in the 2020 Parliamentary election in the area.

"Yes, it is to a large extent true. I have been to the constituency several times and the whole constituency leadership and party members, the Regional [Executive] setup and the National [Executive] setup deem it fit that his wife [Ophelia] is the back bone of the husband," Mr Boadu said in a radio interview monitored by Graphic Online Tuesday night [October 13, 2020].

"She knows the constituency very well and considering the large support that the husband had and the kind of difficulties that the constituency is going through, a lot more of the constituents think that we should let the wife continue," Mr Boadu added in the radio interview which was with Accra based Joy FM.

He added that "there was massive consensus," and that there was "no descent at all" at all levels of the consideration of the widow as the replacement at the constituency, regional and national levels.

Mr Boadu said the party will formally announce the decision later.

Graphic Online understands that Ophelia Hayford, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) has since reportedly submitted her resignation letter to the Police Administration.

When Mr Boadu was asked about that in the Joy FM interview, he said yes, that has been done.

Mr Ekow Kwansah Hayford, hitherto, the NPP's Parliamentary nominee for Election 2020 at Mfantseman in the Central Regional and incumbent MP for the area was killed last Friday by suspected armed robbers.

He had filed his nomination with the Electoral Commission on Thursday, October 8, 2020 seeking re-election in the December 7 election when the unfortunate incident occurred.

In line with Section 4 of the Public Elections Regulations 2020, C.I. 127, which states that: “Where at the close of nominations, but before the election, one of the candidates dies, a further period of 10 days shall be allowed for nominations,” the NPP then initiated the move for a replacement.

Writer's email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh

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