The New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate-elect for Weija Gbawe, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, has among other things attributed his victory over Tina Mensah to the free legal services he rendered to some constituents.
Ahmed Shaib, in an interview with Bernard Koku Avle on The Point of View on Citi TV, explained that he was not certain of contesting the seat as of 2021 until traditional leaders in the area made a clarion call to him.
He told Bernard Avle that he will collaborate with all relevant stakeholders in the constituency to ensure the NPP retains the seat in the upcoming general elections.
“I only started considering contesting in the primaries when some chiefs started coming to me somewhere in 2021. You know I am a lawyer and I run pro bono for people.”
“As of 2021, I did not know that I was going to contest until I had a clarion call from the traditional leaders in the area. So I am going to bring all the traditional leaders, the pastors, and the opinion leaders together. I am certain that working with all the people that matter, we are going to win the seat.”
He further emphasized that he prioritized the concerns of the constituents, which worked to his advantage.
“I devised an action plan. I stayed put and asked God for direction, and I had a solid team. We did excellent work, and I was not doing interviews but attending to the people in the constituency, making them understand the dynamics. I also showed the people respect, which worked to my advantage.”
Jerry Ahmed Shaib, who is the CEO of the Coastal Development Authority (CoDA) secured 786 votes, representing 68.53%, while the incumbent MP, Tina Mensah garnered only 361 votes, representing 31.47% during the NPP’s parliamentary primary over the weekend.
