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General News of Wednesday, 30 January 2019

Source: peacefmonline.com

Abolish Bye-Elections; it's 'needlessly expensive' - John Boadu

General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party, John Boadu, appears to be against the holding of bye-elections in the country.

According to him, it is "needlessly expensive" to hold a bye-election and so should be abolished.

Speaking to host Kwami Sefa Kayi on PeaceFM's "Kokrokoo" regarding the Ayawaso West Wougon bye-election to be held on Thursday, January 31, 2019; the NPP Chief Scribe cited reasons for his assertion saying a bye-election hardly causes any significant change in the number of seats .

He explained that looking at the impending by-election, an election of a candidate for the constituency will only mean that a person will be replaced in the Parliamentary representation of the NPP. Thus, he added, the ruling party will have to spend more resources than necessary to ensure victory against the NDC; an additional cost hanging on the party's neck.

He has therefore appealed to the lawmakers to enact a law that will allow any party, whose Member of Parliament passes away or in the case of any eventuality; to organize its own Primaries to elect a new candidate to represent the constituents in Parliament.

“It’s (bye-election) another area that’s needlessly expensive which if we can craft a law, it would help us…If it will affect the numbers between NPP and NDC in Parliament losing or winning can change the political equation in Parliament; that will be critical. I’d accept that we hold bye-election,” he said.

He, however, asked the constituents to vote massively for the NPP candidate and wife of the late Member of Parliament for the constituency, Lydia Seyram Alhassan who the party believes is a "perfect replacement".