Mahama ditches senior sitting NDC MPs

If you want to know why some senior Members of Parliament (MPs) lost their seats in the National Democratic Congress’ primaries, look no further.

Just read a post on the Facebook account of President John Dramani Mahama and you will understand.

Saturday afternoon, President Mahama posted a photo of himself casting his vote in the primaries, and the message accompanying the post is as follows: “I’m voting to strengthen democracy in NDC. I am voting for more youth and women to get involved in politics, and for a transparent process to select Ghana’s political leaders.

“I’m voting for inclusiveness and equality, and for empowering those who otherwise would be powerless.

“I’m voting because I believe in all of you.”

Alfred Agbesi, Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament, Joe Gidisu, Mustapha Ahmed and Nii Armah Ashietey are among some of the big names that lost in Saturday’s primaries.

If President Mahama, who is the leader of the party, openly said he is voting for more youth, then the victories of the youth over the senior MPs come as no surprise.

It makes sense to say the voters took a cue from President Mahama to vote out the experienced senior MPs.

The Facebook post also gives credence to speculations that the President wanted the youth to defeat old guards of the party because he does not get on well with some of them.

The speculations allege that the old guards insist on the right thing being done by the presidency to preserve the principles of the NDC, and this is making the President and his people uncomfortable.