Dodovi vows to retire Minority Leader in 2016

The sole parliamentary aspirant for the Suame seat on the ticket of the National Democratic Party (NDC), Francis Dodovi, has sworn to retire the Minority Leader, Mr Osei-Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, from active politics after the 2016 general election.

Suame, one of the safe seats of the minority New Patriotic Party (NPP), has been occupied by Osei-Kyei-Mensah Bonsu for 18 years and Dodovi, a member of the NDC communications team, says ‘enough is enough.’

Dodovi, a trained journalist, former editor of Solid FM and Manager of Boss FM, private radio stations in Kumasi, told journalists after submitting his nomination forms at the party’s office in Suame last Thursday that he had done enough work to merit the seat.

One of the NDC’s campaign strategists, Dodovi has rolled out his ‘scientific campaign,’ which includes a house-to-house database to overturn the 50,000 vote difference in the last elections.

In the 2012 elections, the NPP had 60,000 votes as against the NDC’s 10,000 in the parliamentary elections, while in the presidential the NPP had 63,000 as against the NDC’s 12,000.

The stocky, clean-shaven Dodovi, fondly called ‘Suame Ronaldo,’ reckoned the challenge but said the NPP had had a leeway over the years because the NDC had not been very visible in the area.

“I will surprise the Minority Leader and retire him comfortably. My aim is to win the seat and increase President John Dramani Mahama’s votes in the constituency,” he said.

Mr Dodovi also said the Minority Leader had not done enough for the constituency which was dogged with bad roads and lack of basic amenities, including public toilets.

He added that he would launch a campaign to compel Mr Osei-Kyei-Mensah Bonsu to account for the MP’s Common Fund and other statutory funds which were meant to transform the constituency.

The NDC communicator promised to source funding, when given the opportunity, to modernise the Suame Magazine and provide jobs for the youth.

Meanwhile, the NDC extended the deadline for the submission of forms in the region from Thursday, September 10, to Thursday, September 17.

The Ashanti Region’s special dispensation was due to the late start of the party’s biometric registration of members.