Veteran journalist and lawyer Ken Kuranchie has submitted his completed forms to vie for the upcoming New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primaries in the Okaikoi North Constituency in the Greater Accra Region.
This is the third consecutive time the contestant is slugging it out with other candidates to lead the NPP in the constituency.
This time round, he is one of six other contestants who have filed their papers to contest the parliamentary seat.
The others are Nana Ama Dokuah, a Deputy Minister of State who is also a sitting Member of Parliament in another constituency, former MP Fuseini Issah who lost the seat in 2020, Prince Owusu a businessman, Afua Akoto, a formerly deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) and Kofi Nyarko, another businessman.
In a brief speech as Ken Kuranchie delivered the filled nomination papers, Mr. Kuranchie said that people are able to live peacefully in a society because there are laws and rules that protect all.
He charged the Constituency Vetting Committee to be aware that they are guided by the 1992 Constitution, the Constitution of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as well as the rules and guidelines provided by the NPP to guide the parliamentary process.
He called upon them to implement those and rules strictly to ensure that the proper and qualified candidates contest.
“In this room, there are people we know and are familiar with. When they come into this constituency to vie for anything, there will be no complaints. There are others we don’t know, and when they vie, we will protest,” he stated.
He said that previously there had been two such processes in which he had participated, and characterized by peace.
“This is a seat that is known as a seat belonging to the NPP. The process to restore it back to the NPP begins here. You have a key role in that process of bringing this seat back to the NPP,” he stated.
Mr. Kuranchie set off on foot for the two kilometer walk to the Lapaz office of the NPP at about three pm.
He was accompanied by hundreds of party followers with Kpalogo and sound system and enthusiastic party delegates and supporters.
The process to present his completed forms brings finality to all documentation as required in the process.
After thoroughly examining the various documents and payment of all fees associated with the processes the constituency executives okayed the documents.
In attendance was the constituency secretary, research officer and a leading member of the women’s wing.
The constituency executives implored the prospective candidates to play by the rules.
They called on him to see the contest as an internal family competition.
In the event that he wins, he must reach out to the losers and bring them on board and work with them for the good of the party and constituency.
He must also do his best to avoid acrimonious and vitiating tactics and message in the interest of the great party.
In his reply Lawyer Ken Kuranchie emphasized on the need to create a level playing field for all contestants.
The monstrous manipulations that sometimes characterizes events of this nature must be done away with.
He appealed to the constituency executives not to throw their weight behind a particular candidate at the peril of others. He assured them of a clean campaign and competition.
Later in an interview with the Press he promised to do an open door politics and will welcome every party and constituency member.
He intimated that for the past 10 years he has opened his doors to everyone to discuss party and other issues.
He has also assisted hundreds of people through loans and other things.
He said he has stayed in the constituency for over thirty years, he understands the problems and challenges.
He is therefore prepared to make himself available to address their concerns and problems.
He talked briefly about his vision and mission for the constituency and the party if elected.
Interestingly the prospective candidate walked all the way briskly to the party office and back.
