NPP ‘Runs’ To Sacked Fomena MP

Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has confirmed that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has initiated an engagement with the sacked Fomena MP, Andrews Amoako Asiamah to join the NPP side of the house in the next parliament.

In an interview with JoyNews, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs indicated that the opposition National Democratic Congress has also taken steps to get him on their side.

According to him, although both parties are engaging Mr Amoako, the final decision would be his (Lawyer Asiamah) to make as to which side he would want to in the next parliament.

“He will decide. [Currently] there is an engagement by both sides [both NPP and NDC] to get him on their side,” he said.

Mr. Mensah Bonsu further dismissed concerns raised that there will be a hung parliament from next year, insisting that there will always be a clear majority.

“We have an odd number in our parliament so there will never be a hung parliament. There will always be a majority. There are only two caucuses in the House; Majority and Minority caucuses.

“By the construct of our parliament, an Independent Parliamentarian will be required to choose a side of the caucus. So there can’t be a hung Parliament in Ghana,” he stressed.

Already, Lawyer Amoako Asiamah’s team have indicated that they are not opposed to meeting with the leadership of the NPP to charter a new course with the Party following his dismissal from the party prior to the elections.

Special Aid to the MP-elect, Seth Oduro has said that the team has nothing against President Akufo-Addo and the NPP party, however, considering how Lawyer Asiamah was kicked out of the party, the onus lies on the Party to make the first move.

Currently, the sacked Fomena MP carries the weight to tip the balance in favour of either of the 2 main political parties seeing as the seats are essentially evenly distributed between the NPP and the NDC in parliament.

From the EC’s results for the Parliamentary elections, NPP currently has 137 seats and NDC with 136 in the next Parliament with a total of 275 seats. Sene West is, however, still outstanding following a court injunction.

Asiamah is the only independent candidate in the next Parliament.

 

Source: Myjoyonline.com