Former Member of Parliamentary for the Navrongo Central Constituency, Mr Mark Owen Woyongo has announced plans to exit active party politics even though he would be at the background to infuse support and counsel to the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
As part of the decision to exit active politics, Mr Woyongo indicated that he would decline any invitation to contest the constituency election when the party opens nominations for its primaries.
Mr Woyongo who was the former Interior Minister in the NDC regime lost the seat in the 2016 election to New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Mr Joseph Kofi Adda in a fiercely contested election.
Mr Woyongo in that election polled 17, 203 votes, representing 43.2 percent while Mr Adda garnered 20,667 votes, representing 51.69 percent.
Ahead of the 2020 election, Mr Woyongo told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that he was opting out of the race and said “Politically, I am still active just that I’m not going to contest any elections; I’m not going elections 2020” he announced.
According to Mr Woyongo his decision not to be involved in active partisan politics is to take some respite bearing in mind his aging life and said he had served his constituents and the country better, adding that he would be selfish if he failed to pave way for the youth of the area to join the political landscape.
“I will be greedy to continue to dominate in the political scene in my constituency. It is only proper that I allow some other people to come in considering my age. I think that I should play a backstage seat role and then allow the young ones to come in”
Mr Woyongo is however confident that the NDC would take back the seat from the governing NPP notwithstanding whoever represents the NDC in the Navrongo Central Constituency in 2020.
The former Navrongo Central legislator stated that about four individuals had shown interest to contest the party’s primaries “and anyone who wins I am prepared to throw my weight behind that person and to ensure we take back that seat”