The former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Trobu-Amasaman in the Greater Accra Region, Mr Samuel Nee-Ayeetey Attoh, has decided to contest the constituency Parliamentary seat in the 2012 elections as an Independent candidate.

Mr Attoh said his decision stemmed from a number of reasons, which included his resolve that democracy and competiveness were good for development.

He regretted, however, “that in our part of the world, democracy does not always bring out the best nor the truth”, thus the reason for his desire to go solo.

The former MP, who made these known to the press at the week-end, said he did not believe that he lost in the primaries conducted by his party, the NPP in 2008, stressing that even though it was a democratic decision, he did not believe in the results that was declared.

He said his supporters had called on him to go independent then but his respect for democracy did not allow him to contest the result.

Mr Attoh said because he respected the verdict of the process, he decided not to challenge the results and had to allow the chosen candidate to get the nod but unfortunately he lost the seat to the National Democracy Congress (NDC) candidate in the 2008 elections, thus depriving the NPP of the seat.

He pointed out that it was after the declaration of his so called loss at the primaries of 2008 that he realised he had more than necessary admirers and fans to annex the seat one more time.

He noted that though he seemed to have given up in politics following his bitter ordeal, his numerous admirers have started calling on him once more to contest as an independent candidate to save the constituency.

The former MP, who has been a former Assembly man, a Consultative Assembly Member and DCE said, in order not to disappoint the people, he had finally decided to heed their call.

He said some projects, which he initiated and started as an MP, had been abandoned and would like to contest and win the seat to enable him to continue with those projects.**