Akwasi Addai Odike

Odike completed his secondary school education at Aduman Secondary school where he obtained the GCE Ordinary Level certificate. He later established as a business man running his own company, Odike Ventures in the Ashanti Region.{{cite web |title=Akwasi Addai Odike (UFP-Presidential Candidate) |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/people/person.php?ID=1201 |website=ghanaweb.com |publisher=GhanaWeb |access-date=29 October 2020}}

Odike was the candidate of the United Front Party for the Ghanaian presidential election in December 2012.{{cite web|title=Profile of 2012 Presidential Candidates |url=http://ec.gov.gh/page.php?page=495§ion=45&typ=1 |work=Official website |publisher=Electoral Commission of Ghana |access-date=2 November 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104230755/http://www.ec.gov.gh/page.php?page=495§ion=45&typ=1 |archivedate=4 November 2012 }} He placed eighth out of eight contestants with 0.08% of the votes cast.{{cite web |title=Election 2012: National |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/election2012/elections.results.php |website=ghanaweb.com |publisher=GhanaWeb |access-date=29 October 2020}} A feud developed within the UFP. The main protagonists were Odike and Nana Agyenim Boateng, chairman of the party. This led to dismissals and counter dismissals and some scuffles between both factions.{{cite web |title=Odike Is Still A NEC Member And Chief Founder Of UFP |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Odike-Is-Still-A-NEC-Member-And-Chief-Founder-Of-UFP-294550 |website=ghanaweb.com |publisher=GhanaWeb |access-date=29 October 2020 |date=8 December 2013}}{{cite web |title=Odike goes wild, chairman beaten |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Odike-goes-wild-chairman-beaten-312099 |website=ghanaweb.com |publisher=GhanaWeb |access-date=29 October 2020 |date=9 June 2014}}

The party contested the 2016 Ghanaian general election but failed to win a single seat.{{cite web |title=Election for Ghanaian Parliament |url=https://www.electionguide.org/elections/id/2580/ |website=IFES Election Guide |publisher=The International Foundation for Electoral Systems |access-date=29 October 2020}} Prior to that election, Addai Odike had been suspended for breaching the party's constitution in appointing his own son as the acting General Secretary.{{cite web |title=UPP sacks Odike |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/politics/UPP-sacks-Odike-729904 |website=ghanaweb.com |publisher=GhanaWeb |access-date=29 October 2020|date=12 March 2019}}

Odike and Razak Kojo Opoku left the UFP and co-founded the United Progressive Party which was registered with the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) in May 2015.{{cite web |title=United Progressive Party to Receive Final Certificate |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/United-Progressive-Party-to-Receive-Final-Certificate-359419 |website=ghanaweb.com |publisher=GhanaWeb |access-date=29 October 2020 |date=24 May 2015}} In March 2019, he was sacked from the party due to ongoing differences. This sacking split the party into two factions, each claiming leadership of the party.{{cite web |title=Blows at EC as man outwits Odike to pick up presidential forms |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Blows-at-EC-as-man-outwits-Odike-to-pick-up-presidential-forms-469565 |website=ghanaweb.com |publisher=GhanaWeb |access-date=29 October 2020 |date=13 September 2016}}{{cite web |title=Odike in fresh trouble |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Odike-in-fresh-trouble-473452 |website=ghanaweb.com |publisher=GhanaWeb |access-date=29 October 2020 |date=29 September 2016}} After a period of disputes about who was the legitimate presidential candidate for the UPP, Odike announced that he was withdrawing from the contest. He proceeded to back Nana Akufo-Addo, then leader of the biggest opposition party, the NPP in the 2016 election.{{cite web |title=Odike reveals his desire to be NPP flagbearer |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Odike-reveals-his-desire-to-be-NPP-flagbearer-485991 |website=ghanaweb.com |publisher=GhanaWeb |access-date=29 October 2020 |date=12 November 2016}}{{cite web |title=Let’s also try Nana Addo – Odike to Ghanaians |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Let-s-also-try-Nana-Addo-Odike-to-Ghanaians-489108 |website=ghanaweb.com |publisher=GhanaWeb |access-date=29 October 2020 |date=22 November 2016}} He was however critical of Nana Akufo-Addo in the run up to the 2020 election, accusing him of nepotism.{{cite web |title=Akufo-Addo running a ‘family and friends’ government – Odike |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Akufo-Addo-running-a-family-and-friends-government-Odike-860452 |website=ghanaweb.com |publisher=GhanaWeb |access-date=29 October 2020 |date=8 February 2020}}

Later, Odike again managed to become the party's nominee to stand for president in the 2020 Ghanaian general election.{{cite web |title=United Progressive Party(UPP)unveils Akwasi Addai Odike as Presidential Candidate & Other Executives |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL2bOj0v4GM |website=YouTube |access-date=29 October 2020 |date=2 October 2020}} He complained during the week candidates were submitting their forms to the Electoral Commission that various people including some from the Commission and some New Patriotic Party (NPP) officials were preventing him from registering. This was denied by the chairman of the NPP, Peter Mac Manu.{{cite web |title=NPP, EC are ganging up to kick me out of 2020 presidential race – Odike |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/politics/NPP-EC-are-ganging-up-to-kick-me-out-of-2020-presidential-race-Odike-1080289 |website=ghanaweb.com |publisher=GhanaWeb |access-date=29 October 2020 |date=8 October 2020}} Although he managed to file his nomination papers on schedule, he was disqualified from contesting the 2020 election by the Electoral Commission because his documents were not satisfactory. Odike expressed surprise and indicated that he was going to contest the decision.{{cite web |last1=Korankye |first1=Kester Aburam |title=EC axes 5, clears 12 presidential candidates to contest 2020 election |url=https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/politics/ec-axes-5-clears-12-presidential-candidates-to-contest-2020-election.html |website=Graphic Online |publisher=Graphic Communications Group Ltd |access-date=29 October 2020 |location=Accra |date=19 October 2020 |quote=It is preposterous for the EC to say I am not qualified}} Some within his own party however suggested that he was disqualified because some party executives including Razak Kojo Opoku, co-founder of the party undermined him.{{cite web |title=Wontumi, Razak Kojo Opoku masterminded Odike’s disqualification – UPP Chairman alleges |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Wontumi-Razak-Kojo-Opoku-masterminded-Odike-s-disqualification-UPP-Chairman-alleges-1089022 |website=ghanaweb.com |publisher=GhanaWeb |access-date=29 October 2020 |date=20 October 2020}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/people/person.php?ID=1201 Akwasi Addai Odike's profile on Ghana Web]

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Category:Living people

Category:1964 births

Category:Candidates for President of Ghana

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