The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ashaiman, Alfred Kwame Agbesi has sparked controversy by rescinding his decision not to vie for the parliamentary seat in 2016.
In 2010, the Ashaiman MP, now Majority Chief Whip, made his intention known to everybody that he would not contest 2016 elections, but he has suddenly changed his mind.
So far, 17 members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have declared their intention to contest in the race when nominations open.
Information gathered by DAILY GUIDE revealed that some people, particularly constituents and aspirants in Ashaiman, made preparations for the parliamentary primaries and 2016 general elections based on the earlier decision taken by him.
Addressing journalists at a news conference in his office at Ashaiman, the incumbent MP explained that he planned to step down with President Mahama.
He said that he earlier intended to end his parliamentary service with the late President Evans Atta Mills in 2016.
“After the Supreme Court Election Petition ruling, indications were that Mahama would continue and win the 2016 presidential elections and complete his constitutional two terms in 2020. That being the case, and all things being equal, it would not be prudent for me and like-minded MPs currently in parliament to abandon President Mahama in 2016,” he noted.
According to him, it would be prudent for him to contest 2016 parliamentary election and partner President Mahama to complete his term in 2020 constitutionally.
He added that “the statement that I will not contest 2016 was fundamentally based on the tenure of office of the late President Mills’.
The Ashaiman MP debunked assertions that his popularity in Ashaiman had dwindled, saying that he has the backing of about 150 delegates of the NDC in the constituency.
Ashaiman and Ghana need institutional memory, hence the need for his constituency to get experienced persons to represent them in Parliament, he stated.
He told the contenders that “NDC is yet to announce guidelines for the primaries in the constituency and the 2016 general elections. It behoves all of us to abide by the party’s rules, regulations, norms, principles and directions until the matching orders are given by the party.”
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