Justin Frimpong Kodua, the General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has declared that the party will contest the upcoming Ayawaso East by-election.
The NPP General Secretary revealed the party has already begun the process of selecting a suitable candidate.
Speaking on JoyNews on Wednesday, January 7, Mr Kodua stated, “Why shouldn’t we contest?” he asked. “The New Patriotic Party will contest the Ayawaso East by-election, and as I speak to you, we are doing our own candidate search to get a very good, well-accepted candidate to contest.”
Justin Kodua extended condolences to the family of the late Member of Parliament and the NDC.
He stated, “First and foremost, let me send my deepest condolences to the family and the NDC as a party”.
“I was very surprised and shocked that he could make such a statement. This is not the first time we have had by-elections in this country,” he said.
Justin Kodua explained, “When the NPP decided not to contest Tamale Central, the NDC decided to contest Akwatia. So for whatever reason that influenced them to contest Akwatia, the same reason is also influencing us to contest the Ayawaso East by-election.”
“It’s not an issue of whether it is an NDC stronghold or not. We are going to contest, and we are going to make sure that we win the seat.”
“With issues of death, I know the Electoral Commission has about 60 days to organise the by-election. So I can assure you that before the Electoral Commission opens nominations, the NPP will have a candidate for the Ayawaso East by-election.”
Under that, Ghana’s Constitution Article 97 mandates parliament to declare an MP’s seat vacant, with Article 112 mandating that the Clerk of Parliament notify the Electoral Commission (EC) of a vacant seat due to death, resignation, expulsion, or other constitutional grounds like joining another party.
The Electoral Commission (EC) then triggers a by-election within 90 days, unless the vacancy occurs within three months of a general election.
This is to ensure a continuous representation and the people’s right to choose their MP.
Meanwhile, Kofi Bentil, a Senior Vice President of IMANI-Africa and lawyer, has said Ghana is about to waste money on another pointless by-election.
According to Kofi Bentil, when a member of parliament passes away, the party he or she belongs to must simply replace him or her unless that person is an independent candidate.
He reminded the Chairman of the Constitutional Review Committee of his suggestion.
Kofi Bentil is quoted to have said, “Dear H. Kwasi Prempeh, Remember my suggestion that when an MP passes, his party should simply replace him unless he is an independent candidate?? We are about to waste money pointlessly in another bye-election.”