The sitting Member of Parliament (MP) for the Evalue-Ajomoro Gwira constituency in the Western Region, Kofi Arko Nokoe, has been retained as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for elections 2024.
He defeated Augustina Ama Atabuah Ennor Kwofie, the wife of Evalue-Ajomoro Gwira constituency chairman, Ennor Kwofie.
The Evalue-Ajomoro Gwira NDC parliamentary election was put on hold on May 13, 2023, due to unknown reasons by the national executives of the party.
But they lifted the suspension in the early week of October and the contest took place on Friday, October 26, 2023.
The election was supervised by the Presiding Officer of Evalue-Ajomoro Gwira Electoral Commission (EC), Madam Abigail Aikens, and protected by the Ghana Police Service.
Before the election, the constituency was described as a flashpoint but at the end of the day, no form of violence was recorded.
The police presence was very tight in all three voting centers (Axim, Gwira Aiyinasi and Kutukrom).
At the end of the keenly contested poll, Kofi Arko Nokoe polled 545 votes representing 53.17 percent to defeat his main competitor, Augustina Ama Tabuah Ennor Kwofie who also got 480 votes representing 46.82 percent.
The total valid votes cast was 1,025 and three rejected ballot papers.
Speaking after his victory, Kofi Arko Nokoe expressed his heart-warming gratitude to the rank and file of the party for retaining him as their parliamentary candidate for elections 2024.
"My heart-warming gratitude goes to the rank and file of our great NDC, I also thank my colleague MPs who supported me, advised me, and prayed for me, the victory I have chalked could not have been possible without your immeasurable support, I say God bless everybody, the media too have done well and the EC and Ghana Police Service," he acknowledged.
He added, "Special thanks go to Ellembelle MP, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Jomoro MP, Dorcas Afo Toffey, Amenfi West MP, Eric Afful, and NDC parliamentary candidate for Amenfi Central, Joana Gyan Cudjoe for supporting me for this victory."
He, therefore, pledged to unite the rank and file of the party for victory in 2024.
"To his contender, Hon Augustina Ama Tabua Kofi, kudos to you, and you fought a good fight. We are all NDC, and we have the gene of the Party in our blood. Let us embrace ourselves strongly and readily work hard for the common agenda, retaining the seat, which motivated the two of us to contest. Working with a united front will preempt the bad agenda of the elephant party in the 2024 general elections," he stated.
"To the delegates, I am much humbled for the much honor done to me. You are indeed the kingmakers of every political family. Hon KAN is much grateful to you for still keeping the barton of Parliamentary candidate in his hand," he added.
Evalue-Ajomoro Gwira is a swing constituency in Western Region and no sitting MP had been retained before but with this victory, Kofi Arko Nokoe has pledged his readiness to break the four-year jinx come December 7th, 2024.
On his party, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ellembelle constituency, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah commended Kofi Arko Nokoe on his victory.
He called on the rank and file of the party to rally behind Kofi Arko Nokoe to retain the Evalue-Ajomoro Gwira parliamentary seat in 2024.
