The New Patriotic Party (NPP) dismisses proposals to protect seasoned Members of Parliament (MPs) in the upcoming primaries, emphasizing the importance of upholding democratic values.
The response follows comments by Kwame Ayimadu-Antwi, MP for Asante Akim Central, expressing dissatisfaction with the party’s perceived lack of support for experienced lawmakers.
While NPP Director of Communications, Richard Ahiagbah, acknowledges the worth of considering measures to safeguard experienced MPs, he underscores the need for careful evaluation to prevent compromising the democratic foundations of party primaries.
“The allegation that somebody is orchestrating somebody, that is just talk for people because maybe one thing is against them or the other. That should not be part of the conversation. But is it the expectation that the party should create a certain system? I think that I agree but my worry about that suggestion is what system is it and to what extent is it going to impact the basic allowance of democracy to prevail,” he remarked.
Further highlighting the potential advantages of open competition, Richard Ahiagbah suggested that it guarantees the selected candidate has the strongest public support and acts as an incentive for performance.
“If it is a system and arrangement that will affect a true and true practice of democracy then that will not be the system we want,” he added.