According to the former Ningo-Prampram MP, his grandchildren cited the many insults being hurled at him on social media following his decision to contest for the Greater Accra Region’s slot of the council.

In an interview yesterday hours after he withdrew from the race, Mr. Mensah, a former Minister of Youth and Sports revealed his grandchildren could no longer tolerate the invectives curled at him through social media and prevailed on him to withdraw.

“When I read the threats and insults from the Ga-Dangbe youth, I was appalled and because of this my grandchildren sent me a plea to review my decision,” he remarked.

Mr. Mensah who is also a former Chief Executive of the Accra metropolis and a leading member of the opposition National Democratic Congress, however, denied reports in a section of the media that he is bitter about losing his party’s parliamentary primary last year, hence his decision to spite the party.

“Do not mind the rumours going round,” he stated.

Mr. Mensah announced his withdrawal a few hours before polls opened nationwide yesterday, citing “personal reasons”.

According to ET Mensah, he had the backing and endorsement of the party, specifically the “NDC Greater Accra Regional Council of Elders” during a meeting before going public with his intention.

“In my constituency, they gave me the full support. I have the right to do what has to be done within the confines of the law.”

He noted that, they contended he “has the experience which the nation needs, and therefore they would want me to stand on the ticket of Greater Accra to go to the Council of State. I thought about it and accepted it.”

He added that, the Greater Accra Regional Council of Elders and the Ga-Dagme caucus of the party at separate meetings endorsed his decision to contest in the elections.

Reacting to queries about why as a long-serving NDC member, he had sought to serve on the Council of State under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, Mr. Teye-Mensah said such concerns were based on ignorance of the fact that membership of the Council of State is non-partisan.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ideal Financial Holdings, Dr. Nii Kotei Dzani, was elected the council’s representative of the Greater Accra Region.

Dr. Dzani polled 20 votes followed by Nene Kanor Attiapah with 12 votes. The rest had zero votes.

The Council of State consists of one representative from each of the 10 regions, elected in accordance with regulations made by the EC under Article 51 of the 1992 Constitution, by an electoral college comprising two representatives from each of the districts in the region, nominated by the district assemblies in the region, and eleven other members appointed by the President.