The democratic right of individuals to freedom of association is unquestionable. This statement serves as advice to the NDC, to safeguard the party’s interests in the face of independent MPs, particularly those who have broken away from the party and disrespected its rank and file.
In January 2021, when Hon. Andrew Asiamah, an independent Member of Parliament, became Deputy Speaker in the 8th Parliament of Ghana, it turned out to be more of a curse than a blessing for both the NPP and the NDC. This event encouraged many to pursue the independent path.
As we approach the 2024 elections, the number of candidates running as independents has surged dramatically, with many being individuals who left their original parties to undermine the candidates chosen by those parties. Their goal appears to be making these candidates unpopular in order to secure their own seats, with the potential to become Deputy Speakers or hold other appointments if their government succeeds.
Several established party members have suffered due to the rise of independent candidates, resulting in the loss of their seats. Currently, we have about four independent Members of Parliament.
I am writing to advise the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to focus solely on supporting NDC-affiliated MPs to protect the party’s interests. We should refrain from extending any assistance to independent MPs, especially those who broke away from the NDC, as this could further complicate the issues arising from their presence in our political landscape. Some of these candidates benefited from the opponent party resources and engaged in business with the opponent party to win, and I can assert that if the NPP had won, these individuals would have caucused with them instead of the NDC.
Supporting such individuals will only encourage others in future elections to break away from the party, undermining its stability, as they will expect to be welcomed back as if nothing happened.
Today, the NDC has approximately 187 elected Members of Parliament, more than enough to conduct its business without relying on independent MPs. Now is the time to reset the mentality of prospective independent candidates, dissuading them from believing that they will receive enticing appointments in hopes of returning to their original parties.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com
