Mr Andrews Amoako Asiamah, the Member of Parliament (MP) elect for Fomena Constituency, says he will join the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Caucus in the next parliament.
The MP elect was sanctioned by the NPP, the party in whose ticket he came to the House, for going as independent candidate, in the 2020 parliamentary election, and defied public caution from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, sticking to his guns to go as independent candidate.
The NPP, through a letter to the Parliament withdrew him as MP, and he was subsequently dismissed from Parliament.
Mr Asiamah however won the Fomena parliamentary seat as independent candidate, in the election, and has indicated that he was ready to work with the NPP in parliament.
According to the MP elect, he understood President Akufo-Addo had tried to reach him, but his phone was off for security reasons for sometime after the election.
He said the President’s attempt to reach him got to him through some individuals, but would not give details of that communication.
Mr Asiamah said he would consider the national interest, and also advice from his supporters and traditional rulers from his area, to go back to the NPP.
“I should still belong to the family,” he told journalists at the Parliament House, when he was spotted in the parliamentary corridor, insisting that his decision was not political, but in the national interest.
“When it calls to be welcomed back into the family, I’ll do it.
“The issue regarding what side I join has been discussed already. I have said it time without number that I am a member of the NPP by blood. There is nothing that can change that,” he stated.
He was willing to reconcile with the party, and despite seeing the decision by the Speaker of Parliament to declare his seat vacant just some days before the polls, the MP elect said “ I don’t hold anything against anybody.
“As far as I’m concerned, the decision was not fair. I was not happy about it. But what can you do? It’s part of life. You take it in your stride and move on.”
While giving God glory for his victory, the MP elect also appreciated his constituents for their unflinching support for his victory.
“The election was not easy for me especially with the decision I took. I contested against big parties like the NPP and NDC, but by God’s help, the constituents saw my potential and what I have done. “They noticed my humble service and sincerity to the constituency.”
Member of Parliament who does not belong to or represent a political party is called an Independent.
A person can run as an independent as elections or a sitting Member of Parliament may decide to revoke their party allegiance and become an independent.
This may result if a sitting member decides to leave the political party that they were elected to represent or if a party decides to expel one of its MPs.
The role of an independent Member of Parliament is to represent their electorate and achieve the best results from Government for their constituents.
Independents are generally able to vote according to their beliefs and the perceived will of their electorate, whereas members who belong to political parties are expected to follow the party line on most votes.
