Mr. Richard Asante, the Second Vice Chairman for Suame Constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has expressed his disappointment in the outcome of the Assin North bye-election in which the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) defeated the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to retain the seat.
The Second Vice Chairman stated that, the ruling party lost the Assin North bye-election because the government was not proactive before the election.
According to him, Members of Parliament (MPs) from both the Majority and Minority and other government officials and National Executives of the parties were aware that the Supreme Court would obviously kick out Hon James Gyakye Quayson from Parliament.
He stated that knowing very well about the development in the Apex court, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) should have been proactive enough with all seriousness in preparation towards the bye-election, yet the party waited until the seat was officially declared vacant, before trooping to the constituency for campaigning.
Speaking to a section of the media in Kumasi, Mr Asante disclosed that before the delivery of the judgment by the Supreme Court, government should have started channelling developmental projects, including construction of roads, through the District Chief Executive.
Mr. Asante was of the view that the constituents would have testified to such projects even before the conduct of the bye-election.
He said being pro-active could have made the electorate to repose trust and confidence in the ruling party.
He noted that the ‘later-day’ developments served as a strategy to buy votes which the electorate became aware of through the campaign message of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The NPP Vice Chairman, therefore, reminded the government to focus on developing the Ashanti Region, which is the stronghold of the party and to expand the electoral fortunes of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in subsequent elections.
