Accra, Oct. 13, GNA – The New Patriotic Party (NPP) says its Member of Parliament Fomena Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Mr Amoako Andrew Asiamah, has vacated his seat by filing to contest as an Independent Parliamentary Candidate.
The Party said Mr Asiamah, who was elected to Parliament on the ticket of the Party, had “presumably vacated his Seat in Parliament” pursuant to Article 97(1) (g) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic.
A statement issued in Accra by Mr John Boadu, General Secretary of the Party, said the Party was, therefore, taking necessary steps to inform the Speaker of Parliament for appropriate actions to be taken.
Article 97(1)(g) of the Constitution states that: “A member of Parliament shall vacate his seat in Parliament if he leaves the Party of, which he was a member at the time of his election to Parliament to join another party or seeks to remain in Parliament as an independent member.”
The statement said the few members of the Party, who decided to file as independent Parliamentary Candidates had automatically forfeited their membership of the Party from the very day they filed with the Electoral Commission (EC) to contest pursuant to Article 3(9) of the NPP Constitution.
The statement said per “constitutional injunction”, any member of the Party, who supported or campaigned for an independent Parliamentary Candidate ahead of the forthcoming general elections also automatically forfeited his/her membership of the NPP.
It commended members of the Party, who had contemplated to go Independent but reconsidered their decision in deference to the supreme interest of the Party.
“Such display of loyalty and patriotism to the Party can never go unnoticed, and the Party duly acknowledges same,” it added.
The statement said the Party particularly, commended Madam Mercy Adu-Gyamfi, popularly known as Ama Sey, the MP for Akwatia Constituency for paying heed to wise counsel and decided not to file as an Independent Candidate.
It praised her for pledging to support the Party’s 2020 Parliamentary Candidate for the Akwatia Constituency, Mr. Ernest Yaw Kumi, to retain the Akwatia Seat for the NPP.
The statement said the Party also commended all former aspiring Parliamentary Candidates who, even though were unsuccessful in the 2020 parliamentary primaries of the Party, were very much involved in campaigning for their Parliamentary Candidates ahead of the general elections.
“We congratulate all the 275 Parliamentary Candidates of the Party, who successfully filed their nominations with the Electoral Commission to contest in the 2020 Parliamentary Elections and wished them well.
