Financial analyst, Sydney Casely-Hayford has questioned why the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) is contesting the Talensi seat in the July 7 by-election.<\/p>\n
He argued that before the seat was declared vacant, it was occupied by a New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP), therefore the NDC should let go.<\/p>\n
Speaking on Citi FM\u2019s<\/strong> news analysis programme, The Big Issue<\/em><\/strong>, Casely-Hayford pointed out that the outcome of the by-election will not change the balance of power in Ghana\u2019s Parliament.<\/p>\n [contextly_sidebar id=”hzPZrrxcTxNsahFXCuAC87ID0czINdXu”]\u201cI don\u2019t know why the NDC is going there to contest that seat. This is not going to change the balance of power in Parliament whether they get it or the NPP gets it; nothing will change,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The Talensi seat became vacant after the NPP MP; Robert Masore Nachinab Doameng was elevated to the position of a Paramount Chief of the area.<\/p>\n He later resigned from his position as MP<\/a><\/strong><\/span> in accordance with the 1992 Constitution which bars chiefs from participating in partisan politics.<\/p>\n The EC thus set July 7 for a by-election to take place for a new MP to be elected.<\/p>\n Rigorous campaigning has since been ongoing in the Talensi Constituency after the two major political parties, the NDC and NPP elected their candidates.<\/p>\n The Vice President, Kwesi Amissah-Arthur<\/strong> <\/span><\/a>and some leading members of the NDC are in the area to campaign for their candidate, B.T Baba.<\/p>\n The 2016 flagbearer of the NPP, Nana Akufo-Addo<\/a><\/strong>,<\/span> his running mate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and some party leaders are also in Talensi to campaign for their candidate, Thomas Duanab Wuniin.<\/p>\n But already, there are allegations and counter allegations<\/strong> <\/span><\/a>of vote buying.<\/p>\n The NPP has also accused the Talensi Police of displaying blatant bias towards the NDC<\/a><\/strong> <\/span>after a misunderstanding ensued over a venue for a campaign rally.<\/p>\n The NPP has further accused the Electoral Commission of breaching electoral laws<\/a><\/strong> <\/span>by declining the party\u2019s request to see the list of the names of EC officials who will preside over the elections.<\/p>\n Casely-Hayford charged the EC to allow the NPP to see the list.<\/p>\n He said: \u201c10 days to the event, the law says you are supposed to file the name of the person. If you have forgotten to do it, at least do it so we know that it\u2019s been done. There seems to be this sense of indecency that we are pushing now. This is simple. Just do the right thing and let the people vote.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n By: Efua Idan Osam\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
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