Tensions reached a boiling point in the port city of Tema as angry youth associated with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) took to the streets to protest the rumoured nomination of Ebi Bright as the new Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE).
The demonstrators, predominantly from the Tema East constituency, are demanding that President John Dramani Mahama appoint a native of Tema to lead the municipality, accusing party leadership of ignoring grassroots sentiment and local participation in decision-making.
The protest, which took place outside the Tema Metropolitan Assembly, saw dozens of young people chanting, drumming, and setting tyres ablaze to draw attention to what they described as an imposition of a non-indigene on their community.
The protesters decried what they called a betrayal of party processes and traditional structures, insisting that the widely rumoured appointment of Ebi Bright is both unfair and illegitimate.
“We are here with a heavy heart to register our displeasure,” said Dora Sappor, one of the protest leaders and a vocal NDC activist from Tema.
“We are hearing that Ebi Bright is to be made the Mayor of Tema, but that is not going to happen. She was not even part of the whole process, so why are they bringing her to be the mayor? This is something we will not understand.”
The youth claim that Patience Ankamah Addo, a local contender, had emerged as the preferred candidate following internal consultations and was widely believed to be the frontrunner.
The sudden mention of Ebi Bright’s name in party circles has since sparked accusations of favouritism and disregard for local representation.
Controversial Political Figure
The uproar is the latest in a series of controversies surrounding Ebi Bright, who previously contested and was declared winner of the Tema Central parliamentary seat in the disputed 2024 general elections.
That victory was marred by serious allegations of electoral malpractice and coercion.
In a shocking development in December 2024, Ofusehene Asante Manasseh, the Tema Metropolitan Electoral Officer, submitted a formal complaint to Electoral Commission Chairperson Jean Mensa, alleging that he was coerced into declaring Ebi Bright as the winner.
According to Asante, top NDC figures, including South Dayi MP Rockson Defeamekpor and Deputy National Communications Officer, Malik Basintale, stormed the collation center with angry supporters, demanding an immediate declaration in Ebi Bright’s favour.
“My life, the lives of my officials, as well as those of the police and media, were at stake. I was forced to prioritize my safety over the illegality,” Asante wrote in a letter dated December 12, 2024.
He added that the final results were declared without including two key polling stations—an inclusion that, he claimed, would have handed victory to NPP candidate Charles Forson by a margin of 55 votes.
Despite the controversy, Ebi Bright was provisionally declared MP-elect with 18,539 votes, narrowly edging Charles Forson’s 18,421.
Thereafter, the Electoral Commission recollated the results at Tesano Police Depot, where Charles Forson was declared as the winner for the 2024 parliamentary elections.
However, Asante emphasized in his letter that he was not even the designated Returning Officer for the constituency, rendering his declaration both unlawful and contestable.
Fallout and Growing Discontent
Although the legal and electoral disputes remain unresolved, the recent mayoral rumours have reignited old frustrations.
Critics say Ebi Bright’s image has become emblematic of undemocratic practices within party ranks.
Many of the protesting youth argue that the appointment of someone with such a contentious political history undermines the integrity of local governance and fuels internal party divisions.
