, Mr. Chris JoJo Arhin Arthur emerged victorious in a highly contested parliamentary primary held at Agona Swedru, securing the Agona West New Patriotic Party (NPP) ticket by defeating the incumbent Member of Parliament, Mrs. Cynthia Mamle Morrison, along with three other contenders.
The election, described as intense by analysts, saw Mr. Arthur garnering 240 votes, while his closest competitor, Mr. Ben Yamoah, obtained 221 votes. Mr. Yawson Otoo followed with 168 votes, Mr. Joseph Afankwa (aka Kojo Addo) received 155 votes, and Mrs. Morrison secured 152 votes. Four ballots were rejected during the process.
The parliamentary primary in the constituency had faced delays due to legal action taken by Mr. Afankwa, one of the contestants, who sought to restrain the constituency executives from holding the election on January 27, 2024. The Cape Coast Commercial High Court, under the jurisdiction of Justice Kofi Akrowiah, intervened, advising an out-of-court settlement.
Following a directive from the National Executive Committee of the NPP, the primary was rescheduled for Saturday, April 13, 2024. The Electoral Commission's Agona West office, led by Director Mr. Annobil Forson, supervised the election.
After securing victory, Mr. Arthur expressed gratitude to the delegates for their trust and assured them of his commitment to uniting the party's ranks. He called upon the four unsuccessful candidates to rally behind him in solidarity to retain the NPP's hold on the seat come December 7.
Mr. Arthur's win marks a significant development in the political landscape of Agona West, setting the stage for an intriguing electoral battle in the upcoming general elections.