Barring men from contesting female MPs "undemocratic" – Ayikoi Otoo

Former Minister of Justice Nii Ayikoi Otoo has described as “undemocratic” a directive from the national executives of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) that none of its 17 incumbent female MPs should be contested by men in the forthcoming parliamentary primaries scheduled for May this year.

“I don’t think it is democratic; I must say that it does not appear to me to be democratic because women contested men and were able to beat them to become candidates for the constituencies so how come you are telling me that a particular constituency should now be always occupied by a woman MP?” the former Attorney General told Starr 103.5FM.

“I mean it’s not democratic. What about the men within the constituency, especially when you have safe seats that can be won. You are saying that no man can ever [stand]?”

As far as those 17 seats are concerned, the party said only female aspirants will be allowed to contest them.

Apart from the affirmative action in favour of the party’s female MP’s, the national executives have also issued a fiat barring any non-Ga prospective aspirants from contesting certain seats in the Greater Accra region. The party is reserving those seats for indigenous Gas.

As far as that directive is concerned, Mr Ayikoi Otoo said: “I think that it is a good idea to bring the Gas on board to let them know that the NPP is not anti-Ga.”

Some of the seats being considered to be reserved for Gas include Ngleshie Amanfrom, Ledzokuku, Krowor and Odododiodoo.

Currently the Ledzokuku, Odododiodoo and Krowor seats are being occupied by members of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).

They are Mrs. Benita Sena Okity-Duah, Nii Lantey Vanderpuije, and Dr. Nii Oakley Quaye-Kumah, respectively.

Mr Ayikoi Otoo–a Ga, who contested the Krowor seat in 2008 but lost said reserving some strategic seats for Gas will help give true meaning to a Ga caucus in parliament.

The former Minister of Justice said he knows of only four Gas who are currently occupying seats in the Greater Accra region, a situation he noted is uncomplimentary of the indigenous people.