Halidu Maiga was changing cars every week, took on five more women – Abronye fires defeated NPP MP

Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Kwame Baffoe (Abronye DC) has accused former Member of Parliament of Dormaa West, Ali Halidu Maiga, of exhibiting irresponsible behaviour that culminated in his defeat in the 2020 elections.

The statement by the Regional Chairman was in response to the MP's accusations of him having contributed to his defeat.

“When you are giving the opportunity of leadership you don’t turn around to insult people. You can send for people to ask at Nkra Nkwanta, before becoming an MP, he was using a Mahindra with a rickety bucket which was given to you by Hon. Joe Ghartey. When you became an MP, you were going there with a new car every week. Your constituents will think you have become wealthy, did Abronye ask you to do such?” he questioned in an interview on Asempa FM’s Eko Sii Sen monitored by GhanaWeb.

In the view of the Regional Chairman, such an attitude by the MP is not tolerated in Ghana’s local politics for which he should have known better.

“You know that in our local body politics these are some of the things people look out for before voting. You were changing cars every week, as a young man you even added about 5 women to the ones you use to have,” he retorted.

Among other things, the ex-MP was also accused of antagonizing party people and members of his constituency including his DCE.

“Ask him if he had a good relationship with his DCE; if you can send your boys to attack a female DCE of about 65 years. Didn’t you think she also has supporters? You were able to send your men to attack a DCE and removed her from office,” he stated.

Asked if his allegations were mere insinuations, Mr Kwame Baffoe retorted that he was speaking to reality and that the MP in his own defence said as a Muslim he was allowed to take up more women.

“It is not an example, that was the reality. When you talk about it his response is that Muslims are allowed to marry plenty. But why didn’t you take up extra women when you were not an MP? All is because you have money now so you can marry more,” he said.

In the 2020 elections, the former NDC MP for Dormaa West, Vincent Oppong-Asamoah, made a comeback with 11,480 votes to beat the then incumbent NPP MP, Ali Halidu Maiga, who polled 9,874 votes.

The NPP going into the election held 11 out of the 12 seats in the Bono Region but the party has had its dominance reduced in the Eighth Parliament since both the NPP and the NDC now have six seats each in the region.

Many, including the former MP for Dormaa West, have accused Abronye DC as being partly responsible for the New Patriotic Party’s poor performance in the region.