Ashaiman MP makes u-turn to seek re-election
The Member of Parliament for Ashaiman, Mr Alfred Agbesi, has declared his intention to seek re-election on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress, (NDC) far ahead of the party’s parliamentary primaries slated for October this year.
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He said until the party gave out marching orders with regard to the primaries, it behoved all interested aspirants to abide by party rules, regulations, norms, principles and directives of the party and not to engage in acts that would jeopardise the chances of the party.
His decision is in sharp contrast to an earlier position that he would vacate the parliamentary seat after his current tenure.
Mr Agbesi, who is also the Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament, admitted that although he made his intention to vacate the seat known sometime in 2010, he was ready to contest in the upcoming parliamentary primaries to consolidate the fortunes of the party.
"It would be prudent for me and like-minded current MPs to contest the 2016 Parliamentary elections, and if we are successful (which we fervently pray for), partner the President to complete his term in 2020 constitutionally," he said.
Previous declaration
In an interview with journalists at Ashaiman, Mr Agbesi admitted that sometime in 2010 and ahead of the 2012 general election, he made his intention known to all concerned that since Professor John Evans Atta Mills would complete his constitutional two terms in 2016, he (Agbesi) did not intend to contest the 2016 elections, thus ending his service as MP with Prof. Mills’s exit.
"This has been my intention until His Excellency Mills's demise and President John Mahama took over and won the 2012 presidential election."
"That being the case and all things being equal, it would not be prudent for me and like-minded MPs currently in Parliament to abandon President John Mahama in 2016," he said.
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The three-term MP explained that his previous statement not to contest the 2016 elections was fundamentally based on the tenure of President Mills, which unfortunately got truncated.
The MP said although the NDC was yet to announce guidelines for the primaries, some constituents and aspirants had taken an early lead in preparing themselves for the 2016 parliamentary primaries based on his (Agbesi’s) earlier decision before the demise of Prof. Mills.
Unity
He said until the party gave out matching orders with regards to the primaries, it behoved all interested aspirants to abide by party rules, regulations, norms, principles and directions of the party and not to engage in acts that would jeopardise the chances of the party.
"We have taken the Ashaiman Municipality to a level we should all try to maintain. This is not the time to cut our noses to spite our faces. As MP for Ashaiman, I personally apologise for any seemingly acrimonious situations that might have arisen in the immediate past in the constituency," he said
He called on all NDC operatives, supporters and parliamentary aspirants to embrace unity and discipline which he said were key to the success of the NDC in the upcoming 2016 general election.
Writer's email: benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh