The first deputy minority chief whip Ahmed Ibrahim has predicted that, many incumbent members of parliament from the majority caucus seeking re-election in the upcoming NPP parliamentary primaries may likely to face defeat.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has cleared 326 parliamentary aspirants for the January 27, 2024 primaries to elect its parliamentary candidates in constituencies where the party has sitting Members of Parliament (MPs).
Out of the total number of 373 aspirants, who filed to contest the primaries, after vetting, 29 are going unopposed, 11 were disqualified, two were referred to the National Executive Committee (NEC), two stepped down, one incomplete form and two did not show up for vetting leaving the qualified aspirants for the primaries at 326.
The NDC MP attributes this anticipated the outcome to the government’s failure to disburse MPs common fund arears, hindering the implementation of developmental projects in their constituencies.
These MPs, Ibrahim argues, face a disadvantage against their challengers. “They are going to face your CEOs, your Controller and Accountant General, so it is like MPs are fighting from a losing end.
He raised the possibility of a deliberate strategy by the government to weaken its party in Parliament.
He stated that it could be a deliberate effort by the government to make sure that some of the sitting MPs are kicked out.
Mr Ibrahim has earlier stated that the upcoming primaries of the NPP could have significant ramifications for Ghana’s Parliament with 18 incumbent NPP MPs choosing not to seek re-election, the loss of institutional memory and expertise poses a serious challenge.
Comparing the NPP situation to the recent NDC primaries where 18 MPs were also ousted, Ahmed Ibrahim expressed concern about the trend of experienced lawmakers leaving Parliament.
He pointed specifically to the departure of Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, a veteran politician trained by the legendary JH Mensah, as a potential blow to Parliament’s capacity.
Ahmed Ibrahim made this known in an interaction with journalists.
George Osei-Akoto (Teacher Kojo)/ Ahotoronline.com
