Collaborate to maintain parliamentary seats — Declares Majority Chief Whip

Page 17, Feb 13, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah

THE Majority Chief Whip, Okerchire Adusah, has called on the New Patriotic Party (NPP) not to contest seats being occupied by Minority Members of Parliament (MPs) who have decided to be with the Majority in Parliament.
He explained that although the NPP had not taken any decision on the matter, it would be better for the party to collaborate with the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and the People’s National Convention (PNC) MPs to win their seats rather than leave such seats to be won by the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The Standing Orders of Parliament make way for MPs to belong to either the Majority or the Minority sides. MPs from the CPP, PNC and an Independent MP, therefore, decided to be with the Majority after the 2004 election.
They are Mr Freddie Blay (CPP), Ellembelle; Kojo Armah (CPP), Evalue-Gwira; Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom (CPP) Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem; Mr David Apasera (PNC), Bolgatanga; Mr John Akparibo Ndebugre (PNC) Zebilla; Mr Haruna Bayirga (PNC), Sissala West; Moses Dani Baah, (PNC), Sissala East and Mr Joseph Yaani Labik (Independent), Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo.
These MPs have partnered the 128 NPP MPs in Parliament to form the Majority to push government’s agenda through the House.
Okerchire Adusah said the NPP decided not to conduct primaries in its “orphaned constituencies” which were currently being occupied by the CPP, PNC and the Independent MP. However, the Central Regional Minister, Nana Ato Arthur, had been elected as the party’s parliamentary candidate for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem because the sitting CPP MP, Dr Nduom, is now the CPP Presidential candidate.
Okerchire Adusah said electoral collaboration the world over had become an indispensable tool for parties to strengthen their hold on power, adding that it was for that reason that the PNC and the CPP assisted the NPP to win the 2004 presidential run-off.
He said the NPP would open nominations for constituencies occupied by its MPs next month and expressed the hope that the party would have taken a firm decision on the matter by that time.
The Majority Chief Whip expressed optimism that the NPP would maintain all its 128 seats and make in-roads into territories of the NDC during the 2008 general election.