General News of Wednesday, 14 December 2016

Source: ultimatefmonline.com

Defeated NDC minister ‘abandons’ politics for a chieftaincy title

Alhaji Amin Amidu Sulemana Alhaji Amin Amidu Sulemana

The Defeated Member of Parliament (MP) for Sissala West in the Upper West Region, Alhaji Amin Amidu Sulemana is officially quitting politics and will now concentrate on being enskinned a chief in the area.

Alhaji Sulemana who is one of the longest serving politicians in the Upper West region and current regional Minister, polled 9,762 votes representing 41.41% as against the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP’s) Patrick Al-Hassan Adamah who garnered 13,130 representing 55.69% and therefore lost in his bid to return to parliament.

Subsequently, the minister announced his retirement in politics disclosing that it was already his decision to quit before the 2016 elections but was pressured by power brokers within the party to contest.

“I did not want to contest the seat in the first place, but there was pressure on me from the party. That is how come I contested, but some party members are to be blamed for my abysmal performance “He narrated.

Family sources however reveal the trained civil engineer is being considered for a chieftaincy title in his hometown by his kinsmen.

His announcement comes barely two days after a former Interior Minister Mark Owen Woyongo also announced his retirement in politics after being defeated by his closest rival Joseph Kofi Addah at the Navrongo Central Constituency of the Upper East region.

He revealed that he was in the first instance not interested in contesting the Navrongo Central seat on the ticket of the party in 2016, but was pressured by the party to do so while they groomed someone to succeed him.

“I did not want to contest the seat again in the first place this year but there was pressure on me from the party. That is how come I contested but as fate will have it, I lost”, he said.