Muntaka Booed After Preferred Candidates’ Defeat

If there is anyone who may not want to forget in a hurry last Saturday’s constituency elections of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), perhaps it is the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Asawase in the Ashanti Region.

Muhammed Muntaka Mubarak, who is also the Minority Chief Whip in Parliament, washumiliated in his constituency,after his preferred candidates were defeated miserably during the election.

Positions, such as Constituency chairman, communication officer, deputy communication officer, as well as constituency women organizer, which, hitherto, were held by executives, sympathetic to the cause of Alhaji Muntaka, were all lost.

They were lost to the camp of the MP’s fierce contender, one MubarickMasawudu, who rather had most of his candidates winning most of the positions to man the NDC in the constituency.

Social media has already beenawashwith congratulatory messages going for Masawudu.

Some videos of the MP, who was onetime Youth and Sports Minister, sighted by The Anchor, showed delegates and supporters seen booing at him and his team.

In one of such videos, 16 seconds long, Alhaji Muntaka, who is in his fifth term, is seen hurriedly storming out of the venue of the election, side by side with his entourage angry.

They were followed outside to their vehicle by most of the party people present, amid shouts and booing.

Another video trending also captures the two, the MP and Masawudu, struggling to shake hands. In that video, Masawudu was seen in the video making the effort to shake the MP’s hand, but he refused to return the gesture.

The third one shows the sitting MP, clad in all-white outfit, being escorted outside the crowded venue, with not less than three uniformed police officers, as the constituents shouted “hoo” “hoo” “hoo,” amidst laughter.

It is unclear what triggered the hostile atmosphere, but The Anchor’s sources say the incident happened right after ballots were counted and it emerged that the MP’s choice of candidates failed to win their respective positions.

Ahead of the election on Saturday, Alhaji Munkata allegedly threatened he would resign if candidates he is supporting donot win the election to man the constituency. But this paper cannot independently verify this information, as at the time of going to press.

Meanwhile, it appears not all are happy about the attempt to kick the powerful NDC MP from parliament.

A supporter by name Bennet Konadu Yiadom, who will not watch unconcerned, said the MP has done well over the years and does not deserve the ill-treatment by the party supporters.

“Honestly, I’m not happy with how Asawase is treating Honorable Muntaka. What is all that? Why try to divide the party when you know that any form of division could cost us that seat?”

In a facebook post, Bennet, who claimed to live in the constituency, said Asawase is one of the most developed areas in Kumasi because of the MP.

“I am originally from Paakoso, which falls under Asawase constituency. The level of development we’ve seen under Muntaka is immeasurable. In fact, Asawase is one of the most developed constituencies in the Ashanti Region.

“The man remains very big in that constituency. If you want to wrestle the seat from him, do so with some level of decorum. Don’t undermine his person and the good work he’s done in the constituency. Hon. Muntaka commands a big crowd in the constituency and I can tell you that if his base decides to go against whoever would be elected by delegates to represent the party in the 2024 election, that person may lose that seat,” he put up a defence.

In the past, some have tried to contest the MP, but the party denied them the chance.

MibarickMasawudu was one of such MP-hopefuls. As recent as the 2019 parliamentary primary, the man, who now appears to be gaining grounds, did all he could to unseat the lawmaker but was disqualified.

He was stopped from the contest after a committee for Settlement of Outstanding Disputes sat on his case of suspension, making him ineligible to contest.

A statement signed by General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson AsieduNketiah, said, “By the decision, Hon. Muntaka Mubarak goes unopposed and for that matter stands elected as the parliamentary candidate for the Asawase constituency.”

Source: Anchorghana