Former Member of Parliament for Kumbungu, Ras Mubarak, has described a decision by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to pull out of the Ejisu by-election scheduled for April 30 as very wise.
The combative (do or die) nature of Ghanaian politics, he said, requires tact and finesse from both the ruling NPP and NDC.
“The approach has to be what serves the best interest of Ghana,” he stated.
In a post on Facebook Ras Mubarak indicated that five years ago before the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election he suggested that the major political parties should agree on a convention where candidates are not put up for the unexpired terms of deceased MPs on strongholds of opponents except for very marginal seats.
“It saves everyone the drama, trauma, in some cases lives, cost and time.”
“Looking back, Ayawaso West Wuagon bloodshed could have been avoided if the advice was heeded,” he said.
The Ashanti Regional Secretariat of the NDC announced its withdrawal from contesting the Ejisu Constituency by-election.
The Member of Parliament for the area on the ticket of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Ampontuah Kumah, died on March 7, 2024, after a short illness.
Plans are underway for the NPP to elect a new candidate to contest the by-election scheduled for April 30, 2024, by the Electoral Commission (EC).
However, the Ashanti regional organiser of the NDC, Mr Isham Alhassan disclosed that the regional secretariat has decided not to contest the poll.
He cited waste of resources among others as reasons for the party’s decision not to contest, adding that they are more focused on the December general elections.