By Frank Amponsah
Bitter and painful defeats have characterized the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Primaries held last Saturday.
Majority of NPP’s incumbent MPs who were serving on Committees in Parliament have suddenly lost their seats to new entrants
Some of the defeated MPs have been great voices of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in parliament but were taken down painfully.
Last Saturday, the New Patriotic Party went to its parliamentary primaries in constituencies where the party had sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) across the country to elect candidates ahead of the December 7 polls.
The outcome of the primaries have been that of great disappointment for some incumbent MPs including MPs who chair prominent committees.
Chairman of Parliament’s Finance Committee, Dr. Mark Assibey Yeboah, Chairman of Parliament’s Communications Committee Fredrick Opare Ansah, Chairman of Parliament’s Education Committee William Quaitoo, Chairman of Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee Ben Abdallah, Chairman of Parliament’s Government Assurances Committee Collins Owusu Amankwaah, Chairman of Parliament’s Youth and Sports Committee Alex Agyekum also, Vice Chairman of Parliament’s Agriculture Committee Abraham Odoom, Vice chairman of Parliament’s Roads Committee Kofi Brako, Vice chairman of Parliament’s Trade and Industry Committee Ato Panford and other notable Members of Parliament who play key roles in the law making house including Ahmed Arthur, Nana Akua Afriyie, Vincent Sowah Odotei, Okyem Aboagye, Joe Mensah, Ama Sey and Kennedy Kankam, ,Dr. Twum Nuamah, Collins Owusu Amankwa and Kwame Asafo Adjei have also lost their seats.
Meanwhile, speaking to people especially political analysts on the whole outcome of the primaries, they believe that the dynamics in the 7th parliament over the next 6 months will be an interesting one since the new entrants would have to be schooled on parliamentary businesses.
They also consider the sudden fall of these great parliamentarians as “all bad news for the NPP in parliament” because obviously, the confidence on the side of the majority will be badly hit.
According to many people, the energy on the part of these chairs, vice chairs and MPs on the majority side to even show up in parliament, as well as defend government policies in the media and on the floor will hit rock bottom.
With the coming into parliament of the new candidates, it is believed that the NPP side would have to deal with an opposition that is getting more forceful, fierce and formidable with every passing day.
However, these incumbent MPs who have lost in the primaries might have lost touch with the grassroots as claimed by some commentators.
These has led to the coming in of new candidates who have floored these MPs; given the nod to represent the people in their constituencies if they are voted for in the December elections.
The new candidates will be representing the NPP in the 2020 elections and according to some political analysts, they are coming to parliament with fresh brains, ideas and energy to move the business of the house so as to help the house make better deliberations.
Stephen Amoah, John Kumah, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, Sheila Bartels-Sams, Dakoa Newman, Davis Opoku Ansah, Prince Armah and Farouk Aliu Mahama among others have been considered by delegates as brains that parliament needs to deliver at this time.
Although some cynics see the fall of the incumbents who they described as well experienced parliamentarians as a big blow to the house of parliament as far as businesses of the house are concerned, others also believe they have been ousted to give parliament a new outlook for a better Ghana.
