Dr Adu Amankwah Revists Causes Of NPP MP’s Poor Showing At Election 2020 And Calls For Early Reforms
A prominent member of the New Patriotic Party, (NPP) Dr Emanuel Adu Amankwah, has enumerated a number of factors that did not go in favour of his party causing some sitting Parliamentarians to lose their seats in the December elections.
Dr. Amankwah, who is a Senior lecturer at the Food Science Department of the Kwame Nkrumah University for Science and Technology (KNUST) said prior to the December elections there were a lot of internal squabbles which created enmity among party members.
“For example there were some people at the grass roots who felt aggrieved because the Parliamentary candidate was not their choice.”
Dr. Amankwah was speaking on Wontumi TV/Radio late afternoon political discussion programme hosted by Oheneba Nana Asiedu on Tuesday.
He said those who were deliberately prevented from presenting their application forms to be able to participate in the primaries carried with them their discontent to the polling stations to vote in the parliamentary elections.
“Their mood influenced their decisions, thus, denying the NPP an overwhelming election victory.”He affirmed.
According to Dr. Amankwah, this refers particularly, to those who duly met the criteria for approval of their candidacy by the selection authority to fulfill their aspiration only to be rejected at the last minute without any justifiable reasons.”
He continued, “There could have been justifiable reasons to reject parliamentary aspirants applications forms but the powers that be in certain situations openly flouted the NPP’s own constitution by disqualifying them.”
Continuing Mr Adu Amankwah said these clear cases of “naked abuse of one rights as a true party member” affected their morale which impacted the outcome of the general elections.
“It’s disheartening to recall that divisions within the party’s structure and disunity persisted without our leaders doing anything to arrest the situation and the case of the former Akwatia MP, Ama Sey, is a clear example.” He recalled.
Dr Amankwah who compared the votes amassed by President Nana Addo to the poor showing of some of the NPP Parliamentarians emphasized that the dynamics of the presidential and parliamentary elections are not the same.
“The difference between the two elections makes it clear that parliamentary election is strictly a local affair unlike the presidential so if there is a problem at the grassroots level they should not be taken for granted and that’s why most of our parliamentarians lost their seats.“
He suggested that the next conference of the NPP should take into serious consideration how to find a lasting solution to all issues that divide the party especially, how money can easily be used to influence decisions at the electoral college as part of efforts to reform the party..”