Most of the longest-serving members of Parliament for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will have to vacate their seats for new faces to take over in the 9th Parliament of the 4th Republic of Ghana after losing their bids in the 2024 parliamentary elections.

Some of these top guns of the party willingly declared their exit from Parliament, paving the way for others to serve their constituencies, while some also ditched their seats to pursue higher political portfolios.

Among these people is Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who entered the chamber in the second Parliament of the Fourth Republic and has maintained his seat since January 1997, serving for over 28 years in the House.

Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu is Ghana's longest-serving lawmaker, representing his constituency in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Parliaments.

He now has his seat occupied by a party member after willingly withdrawing his bid to contest the seat again.

On the other hand, Kennedy Agyapong, the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, also ditched his seat to pursue a presidential ambition, which did not materialise as he lost in the party's primaries.

Unfortunately, the person who succeeded him in the NPP primaries also lost the seat, which had been occupied by Kennedy in the name of the NPP for over 24 years, serving under the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Parliaments.

Among these two are other top politicians, including the running mate in the 2024 general elections of the NPP, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, who equally surrendered his MP bid for a vice-presidential dream, which did not see the light of day after the NPP lost the elections to the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

In addition, the MP for Adansi Asokwa hangs on the list after losing his bid to secure another term for the 9th Parliament.

Here is a list of five new faces taking over from these top NPP guns:

1. Kennedy Agyapong to Megyimah Shaibu Nurein

Megyimah Shaibu Nurein, the NDC parliamentary candidate for Assin Central, will now head to Parliament to occupy Kennedy Agyapong's space as MP for the constituency after winning the 2024 elections.

He polled 16,343 votes, representing 50.37% of the valid votes cast, while the NPP candidate, Nti Godfred Amewu, secured 15,926 votes, representing 49.35%.

This marks the first time in 24 years that the opposition NDC has won the Assin Central parliamentary seat.

2. NAPO to Lawyer Nana Adjei Baffour

Lawyer Nana Adjei Baffour Awuah has won the Manhyia South Parliamentary elections in the just-ended 2024 national polls for the NPP.

He polled 21,978 votes against his main opponent of the NDC, Rita Amonu Gyamfua, who received 6,555 votes.

3. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu to Lawyer John Darko

Lawyer John Darko has now taken over the Suame Constituency in the Ashanti region for the 9th Parliament after winning the election against the NDC's Frank Owusu Ansah with a whopping 51,419 votes against 14,948.

4. Joe Wise to Ralph Poku-Adusei

Ralph Poku-Adusei has won the Bekwai Constituency parliamentary elections in the just-ended 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections with 31,060 of the total valid votes cast against the NDC's main contender, Prempeh Junior Samuel, who garnered 16,875 votes.

5. KT Hammond to Godwin Animli Dorgbadzi

The Minister of Trade and Industry, KT Hammond, has lost his long-standing hold on the Adansi Asokwa Parliamentary seat. After over two decades of dominance, KT Hammond was defeated by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Godwin Animli Dorgbadzi, in the hotly contested race that gained national attention.

Dorgbadzi emerged victorious with 14,229 votes, securing the seat for the NDC and breaking KT Hammond's 24-year control of the constituency.

KT Hammond polled 13,275 votes, while the Convention People's Party (CPP) candidate, Mensah Abraham Justice, garnered 346 votes, placing third. KT Hammond's loss marks the end of an era in Adansi Asokwa politics. First elected to Parliament in January 2001 after winning the 2000 general elections, Hammond had become synonymous with the constituency, serving as its Member of Parliament for over 24 years.

AM/SEA

Watch some videos from the recent Parliamentary sittings below: