The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Assin North constituency in the central region, Mr. Charles Opoku, commonly referred to as “Assin North Beyeyie,” has expressed confidence in his ability to lead the NPP and snatch the seat from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in 2024.
The defeated parliamentary candidate of the New Patriotic Party for the 2023 dramatic Assin North by-election is making an impact in the constituency, and he is already sending a strong signal of his determination to topple the NDC’s James Quayson.
Mr. Charles revealed this to the Daily Searchlight and MyGhanaMedia.com after he received unanimous approval as the candidate to lead the party in the constituency into the 2024 general election.
He claimed that, with the assistance of the party and the government, they would put forth all the required effort and resources to annex the seat.
He also reckons that many lessons have been learned from the by-election’s defeat and that a fresh campaign plan will be used in the run-up to the next election.
“Things didn’t work out for me and my party; we’re starting over and coming back in 2024 to win the seat back for the NPP. After the numerous development initiatives the administration implemented in the constituency, I don’t think the kindhearted residents of Assin North will punish NPP for the third time” Mr. Charles said
He emphasized, “We lost in 2020 and the by-election in 2023 as well, so we can’t afford to lose in 2024.”
The level of support he had received from party members, supporters, and party executives in the constituency to lead the party for a second time, according to him, was an indication of the NPP’s readiness to wrest the seat from the NDC.
He maintained that winning power thrived on unity and togetherness.
Then he continued, “We stand for change, for a new energy, and we want to change the narrative of Assin North residents.”
“We cannot win the Assin North seat if we are not united, and the signal is already sent. This is certainly not a Charles Opoku agenda; it is an NPP agenda,” he explained.
He, therefore, gave the assurance that with that united and formidable front, they were leaving no stone unturned in the upcoming election to wrestle the parliamentary seat from the NDC.
Prior to the next 2024 elections, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has not yet chosen who would represent the party in the constituency, although all signs point to the incumbent MP James Quayson being granted the opportunity to lead the party once more.
*Charles Opoku’s performence in Assin North*
When the results from all 99 polling places in the Assin North constituency were announced, NDC’s James Quayson was declared the winner of the election.
The circumstances surrounding the 2023 By-election made it one of the most talked-about political events in Ghana.
Quayson won with 17,245 votes representing 57.56 percent of the valid votes cast with the New Patriotic Party candidate, Charles Opoku coming second with 12,630 votes representing 42.15 percent.
The Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) candidate Sefenu Bernice Enyonam got 87 votes representing 0.29 percent.
In all, there were 29,962 valid votes out of the 30,418 votes cast representing 74.23 percent turnout.
In the 2020 Parliamentary election in Assin North, Gyakye Quayson won with 17,498 votes representing 55.21 percent as against the then NPP candidate Abena Durowaa Mensah’s 14,193 votes representing 44.79 percent.
