The former lawmaker for Kumawu in the Ashanti Region, Yaw Baah, will not be contesting in the upcoming governing New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) primaries.

This follows Mr. Baah’s withdrawal of his candidature from the primaries slated to take place on Sunday, 23 April 2023, to elect a candidate for the Kumawu by-election.

The former MP noted in a letter to the Chairman of the NPP’s by-election committee that: “Having considered my political status and pedigree within the larger family, I have come to the conclusion that the last atom of my ‘political breath’ should be at the disposal of the national front, rather than at the periphery of Kumawu.”

He added: “I see myself as a great player in the scheme of things as far as ‘Breaking the 8’ mantra is concerned.”

The former MP is the second to withdraw from the Kumawu race.

Mr. Baah’s withdrawal means four candidates will now be contesting to represent the party in the by-election on Tuesday, 23 May 2023, after six were cleared to contest, though initially eight people had picked nomination forms.

Former Managing Director of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) Edward Kofi Osei earlier withdrew from the race following concerns that he holds a dual citizenship status.