DAKURA GETS NOD FOR JIRAPA NDC (PAGE 13)

A 47-year-old anthropologist, Dr Francis Bawaana Dakura, has been elected as the parliamentary candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to contest the Jirapa Constituency by-election.
Mr Paul Dergubaa of the UNDP had 59 votes while Prof. Bruce Baneong Yakubu of the University of Ghana polled 51 votes. The youngest contestant, Mr Evans Sinkari of the Rural Action Aid Programme (RAAP), a non-governemental organisation, also managed to poll 29 votes. Two votes were rejected with two delegates also being absent.
The election, which was very transparent and keenly contested, attracted a sizeable crowd who met the announcement of Dr Dakura as the winner with spontaneous cheers.
In his acceptance speech, Dr Dakura urged the delegates and supporters of the party to close their ranks, and said, “All the camps formed before the primaries ceased to exist”.
“Now there is no Dergubaa campaign team, Sinkari or Banoeng Yakubu campaign teams but an NDC campaign team” he stressed and thanked the delegates for the honour done him.
The General Secretary of the party, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, congratulated the delegates and the contestants for the positive attitude they exhibited throughout the period of voting.
He said the Jirapa Constituency had never had a primary in the history of the party and, therefore, there were fears there could be some difficulties.
“Now that we have successfully come out of the primary elections, the only tribute we can pay to the late Edward Salia, is to work hard to retain the seat”. Mr Asiedu Nketiah stated.
The Jirapa by-election came about as a result of the sudden death of the member of Parliament, Edward Salia, compelling the Electoral Commission to settle on April 7, 2009 as the day for the by-election.