-After Party Primaries (1)

While many governance experts and some Ghanaians are still lamenting the defeat of 24 experienced Members of Parliament of the opposition New Patriotic Party in the last Saturday primaries, The aL-hAJJ can report that the case of the ruling National Democratic Congress could be worse.
Investigations by this paper indicate that a lot of experienced legislators of the ruling party are likely to join their colleague NPP MPs who have already booked their exit ticket when the NDC conducts its primaries later this year or early next year.
Notable among NDC MPs likely to face the brunt of party delegates are those who have served more than two terms and new entrants who have fallen out of favour with their constituents for varying reasons.
The investigation report reveal that foremost among the potential casualties include the Western regional minister, Paul Evans Aidoo, who is expected to lose to an experience technocrat now with the Ministry of Education who is said to have gradually warmed his way into the hearts of party executives and delegates in the Sefwi Wiawso constituency.
The seasoned technocrat (name withheld) who is said to have been nursing ambition to contest the Sefwi Wiawso seat since 1996, sources say, attempted to challenge Paul Evans Aidoo at the last primaries ahead of the 2012 elections but was prevailed upon to step aside for the sitting MP to do his last term.
Party executives at the Sefwi Wiawso constituency told The aL-hAJJ that the Western regional minister has lost touch with the grassroot and has failed to live to his pledge not to seek reelection, hence the need to supplant him.
Also to face similar challenge is shrewd and veteran MP for Ningo-Prampram, Enoch Teye Mensah, who is expected to be given a run for his money by a youthful member of the government communications team and his once protégé, Samuel George Nartey.
Although Mr E T Mensah has all these years put the Ningo-Prampram seat under lock and key for the ruling party, reports are that the groundswell for his replacement ahead of the 2016 elections in recent times has been intense.
Political watchers of the 2012 parliamentary election results for the Ningo-Prampram constituency posited that but for Afienya, Dawenya and other adjourning settler communities in the constituency, natives of Ningo, who have been loyally voting NDC since 1992 but have been denied development and a district capital, would have succeeded in tumbling E T Mensah who comes from Prampram.
Reports are that if E T Mensah manages to win the impending primaries against the Ningo natives' sponsored candidate, Sam George, he (E T Mensah) could lose the seat to NPP, as he would face an uphill task in convincing the people of Ningo to vote for him.

Also likely to join E T Mensah from the Greater Accra to exit parliament in 2017 is the three term legislator for Domeabra-Obom, Daoud Anum Yemoh, whose continuous control of the seat is being threatened by the emergence of a deputy Director at the National Service Secretariat, Sophia Karen Ackuaku.
Members of Parliament from the NDC said to be considering bowing out of Parliament after the 2016 elections include Fritz Baffour, Ablekuma South; Krowor, Dr Nii Oakley Quaye-Kumah; Ablekuma Central, Theophilus Tetteh Chaie; Chiana Paga, Abuga Pele; Cape Coast North, Ebo Barton Oduro; Mfantsiman West, Acquinas Quansah, Yapei Kusawgu, Alhaji Seidu Amadu and Navrongo, Mark Owen Wayongo among others .
In the case of Interior Minister, Mark Wayongo, although he is said to have served notice of his exit, the election of Kofi Adda as NPP’s parliamentary candidate for the 2016 elections is changing all that, as party executives in the constituency and rank and file are reported to be prevailing on him to reconsider his stand.
In the Bolgatanga Central constituency, incumbent MP, Opam-Brown Emmanuel Kolbire is also likely to end his tenure in parliament when the party opens nomination as a former chairman of the party in the constituency and former MCE for Bolgatanga; Epsona Ayamga is said to be lacing his boots with the hope of supplanting him.
Other NDC MPs also expected to face stiff competition and/or, possibly be replaced are MPs for Agotime-Ziope, Juliana Azuma Mensah; Amenfi Central, George Kofi Arthur; Anlo, Kofi Humado; Ekumfi, Abeiku Crentsil; Ledzokuku, Benita Sena Okiti Duah; Ayawaso North, Dr Mustapha Ahmed and Central Tongu, Joe Gidisu, among others.
In the Central Tongu constituency, the former Roads and Highways Minister in the Mills government is facing serious rebellion from his constituents who claim his contribution to the development of the constituency is below average.
According to Joe Gidisu's accusers, although he served as Roads and Highways minister for eight years, roads in the constituency are in a deplorable state.
Another veteran MP whose absence in the next parliament will shock many is deputy Majority leader, Alfred Kwame Agbeshie. The incumbent Ashiaman MP, party insiders say, has given up on contesting the Ashiaman seat in 2016 and would seek refuge at South Tongu, where he will seek to replace the sitting MP, Kobla Woyome.
Reports are that Alfred Agbeshie is likely to lose to the incumbent South Tongu MP as party executives there are said to have kicked against his candidature.
The clamor for change in some constituencies known to be “safe seats” of the NDC is so intense that, political watchers have started forecasting a wholesale overhaul of the legislative front benchers of the ruling party in the next parliament.
A total of 24 incumbent NPP MPs, many of whom were front benchers, were defeated in the party’s Parliamentary primaries organized over the weekend.
The 24 NPP MPs made up of six women and 19 men MPs include Dr. Richard Anane, Dr. Afriyie Akoto, Francis Addai-Nimoh, Joe Appiah, Esther Obeng Dapaah, W.O Boafo, Eugen Kusi, and Isaac Osei among others.
This development, the Executive Director of African Center for Parliamentary Affairs said will affect the effectiveness of the legislature.
Dr. Rasheed Dramani stated on Accra base Citi fm that the loss is bad news for Ghana’s democracy since their experiences will be needed in the operations of the House.
“We’ve been complaining about the fact that there is no critical mass of very qualified legislators in our Parliament…I know sometimes we need change, we need some fresh blood and fresh ideas but to see all these heavy weights lose, it’s sad,” he remarked.
While many, including deputy Minority leader and MP for Bimbilla, Dominic Aduna Nitiwul, have called for the need to protect experience MPs, information coming from the ruling party suggests that delegates are gearing up to kick out some of its experienced MPs.
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