NDC to avoid Abuakwa By-election

- As a Mark of Respect For Slain NPP MP?

As a mark of respect to the memory of the slain Abuakwa North Member of Parliament, Joseph Boakye Danquah-Adu, and his family, the governing National Democratic Congress is considering staying away from the yet-to-be declared vacant seat at Abuakwa North and the ensuing bye-election, The aL-hAJJ has gathered.

Functionaries of the ruling party, this paper have been told, are distraught by the gruesome murder of the genteel former deputy Minister of Women and Children Affairs under the John Kufuor administration.

A dependable source close to the National leadership of the party told The aL-hAJJ that, “the unfortunate incident has dealt a big blow to our fledgling democracy and we think as a responsible political party it will not be fair on our part to be engaged in any struggle to snatch the seat from our main opponents, the NPP.”

“The circumstances under which JB died is very disheartening and as a party, we think it will be proper to accord his memory with respect by staying out of the bye-election occasioned as a result of his death,” the source noted.

Asked if the party was not chickening out because of fears it will not make any impressive headway in the bye-election, the NDC kingpin, who does not want to be named, said “there is no doubt that Abuakwa North is an NPP stronghold, but looking at our performance in the 2012 election and the number of development projects our government has channeled to that constituency, there is no doubt that we can win the seat. We have contested bye-elections in all NPP strongholds since 1992, but this particular one the circumstance leading to the death of the NPP is not only regrettable but, also painful.”

He added that “life is not only about politics…aside politics there is life. Have you thought of how the family of the late MP will feel should we engage the NPP in a fierce political battle in a bid to snatch the seat from them? The atmosphere in that constituency is a charged one and not conducive for the kind of politics we do in our part of the world so the best way to restore calm in that area and to honor our late brother, in our opinion, is to stay off the election.”

The Abuakwa North NPP MP was murdered at his Shiashie residence in the wee hours of Tuesday, February 9, 2015 by assailant(s) believed to have used a ladder to have access to his bedroom before stabbing him several times, according to the police.

On Thursday, the police arrested a young man, Daniel Asiedu, whom they suspect was responsible for the MP’s killing, and have since launched a search for what they say were his accomplices.

As a result of the vacancy created by the death of MP, The Electoral Commission will in the coming days announce a bye-election in the Abuakwa North constituency in accordance with article 112 (5) of the 1992 constitution as amended.

Article 112 (5) provides that “whenever a vacancy occurs in Parliament, the Clerk to Parliament shall notify the Electoral commission in writing within seven days after the vacancy occurred, and a by-election shall be held within thirty days after the vacancy occurred”

Various political parties are expected to participate in the impending bye-election, however, the NDC, sources say, will not contest the election.

According to the source, the party’s leadership is yet to meet and take a final decision on the matter, but “discussions we have had among ourselves indicate that we might stay out of the election as mark of respect for the late MP and his family.”