Some members of the Minority side in Parliament have expressed worry about the decision by some of their senior colleagues not to file for re-election.
It emerged after the filing of nominations for aspiring candidates for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) which closed over the weekend that some experienced MPs including Alban Bagbin, Fiifi Kwetey, and Inusah Fuseini will not contest the party’s primaries.
Some also have explained that their decision not to contest is in fulfilment of their promise to stay for two terms.
But speaking to Citi News on the recent development, some Minority MPs said the situation will lead to loss of experience in the House.
“Parliament is going to lose the experience of people like Alban Bagbin who has no co-equal in terms of legislative activities in Ghana. So long as Ghana is concerned, since pre-colonial to colonial times and pre-independence to independence times, he is the longest-serving MP in the history of the West Africa sub-region. [To spend], 28 years in parliament, it has never happened before”, one legislator said.
MPs bowing out
Some four National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament (MPs) in the Volta Region including former Deputy Finance Minister and Ketu South MP, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey did not pick up nomination forms to contest in the party’s parliamentary primaries.
The others are Richard Quashigah, MP for Keta, Clement Kofi Humado, MP for Anlo, and Dr Bernice Adiku Heloo, MP for Hohoe.
The Member of Parliament for Tamale Central and former Minister for Roads and Highways, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini also failed to pick nomination forms to contest in the NDC parliamentary primaries.
Inusah Fuseini, who is one of the vocal members of the NDC in Parliament became a Member of Parliament through a by-election in 2006 after the then incumbent, Wayo Seini defected from the NDC to the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Although his decision not to contest in the upcoming polls may surprise many, the trained lawyer had hinted months earlier of his decision to bow out of the parliament.
The former Roads and Highways Minister said he wanted to give a new person the chance to serve the people of Tamale Central.
He also said he wanted to commit fully to the 2020 presidential campaign of John Mahama.
Another notable development in the Northern Region, however, concerning the primaries is the minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, contesting unopposed in the Tamale South constituency.
This will make it the fourth time he is contesting the Tamale South seat without competition since 2004.