Tamale Central By-elections should be scrapped altogether – Kofi Bentil
Private legal practitioner Kofi Bentil has said that by-elections in Ghana should be scrapped altogether.
According to him, there should be automatic replacement rather than going to the polls to elect a new lawmaker following the demise of a Member of Parliament.
He was reacting to the decision by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to withdraw from the upcoming Tamale Central by-election.
In a Facebook post, he said: “This is what a smart, sensitive political party does. I hope it is reciprocated. And as I’ve said in the past, I hope by-elections are scrapped altogether. Well done, NPP.”
Responding to a comment that elections should be contested, he added: “That view is not universally accepted. Ask the British why they replace prime ministers instead of voting each time.”
Similarly, the Founding President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, said the decision by the NPP not to contest in the Tamale Central by-election was a good one.
He urged the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to emulate the move and withdraw from the Akwatia by-election as well.
“The NPP has decided not to contest the late Hon. Murtala’s seat. Good call. The NDC should do the same. They should not contest Akwatia,” he wrote on Facebook.
