Vote independent candidates to parliament – MP aspirant

Ghanaian voters should elect presidential candidates of their choice while electing independent aspirants to parliament to ensure that only the best decision is taken by legislators for the country, David Osei, a parliamentary aspirant has advised.

Mr Osei disclosed that he was a “born and bred” member of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) but had made the decision to contest for the Nhyiaeso parliamentary seat as a solo aspirant in view of the “partisanship” that has characterised the work of Ghana’s legislature, with the result being bad deals that are signed on behalf of citizens.

“Most often, if you look at parliament, it is so partisan to the extent that an MP votes to support a deal according to his party’s dictates,” he told Chief Jerry Forson on Accra100.5FM’s morning show, Ghana Yensom on Friday October 14.

He continued : “So you realise that all members of the majority are on one side of an issue and the entire minority are on the other. But probably what the minority may be presenting could be of benefit to the country but for partisan reasons the opposition opposes it.”

He mentioned the examples of the failed IFC loan and the unsuccessful STX Korea Housing deals approved by past parliaments despite the red flags from minority MPs about such deals.

Mr Osei, who will be battling the NPP’s Kennedy Kankam – who beat former Health Minister Dr Richard Anane in the party’s primaries – said it was for such reasons that the electorate would have to come to the realisation that “parliamentary representation is not party representation” and vote for independent candidates who are contesting of their own volition for improved governance in the country, rather than for party candidates or “disgruntled” aspirants who have lost their party primaries and have decided to go solo.

“So I believe that if we have more independent candidates in parliament with no political leanings they will scrutinise deals [that come to the House] and decide if it will be good or bad for Ghanaians,” he observed, adding: “Our desire is to have more independent parliamentary candidates who will not align with any party and will only take decisions that will help Ghana…”

He thus urged persons to vote for the presidential candidates of their choice while voting for “genuine” independent candidates – persons who are not disaffected from losing primaries – to help with the country’s development.