The incumbent Member of Parliament, Hon. Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, shared in an interview with GBC TV after casting his vote at the Suame Constituency that he has a preferred candidate for Suame in the Ashanti Region, expressing confidence in their victory.
The Suame seat is currently held by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who announced that he would not stand in this year’s parliamentary primaries after serving four terms.
Despite the alleged intimidation of some party members in the constituency, he remained optimistic about his chosen candidate winning the primaries.
He clarified that he visited the polling station due to reports of money distribution to delegates and misunderstandings, but upon arrival, he found a calm atmosphere with a reassuring police presence.
“So far, what I have observed gives the impression that the election is proceeding smoothly, and whoever the constituency votes for will triumph over others,” he remarked.
He emphasized that, although portrayed by some as a family contest, it should not be seen as a rivalry but as a contest where not everyone agrees with every candidate.
The party in 2023 elected parliamentary candidates in its orphan constituencies. Some sitting MPs who are going on unopposed have been acclaimed in their various constituencies. Their counterparts declared their intentions not to seek re-elections, citing different reasons.
The decisions by these influential MPs, some political activists and stakeholders argue, will negatively affect the activities in Parliament.
Many new faces have emerged in the race, hoping to win the primaries to represent the constituencies they find themselves in. The incumbent MPs who are also seeking re-elections are hopeful of winning the primaries to propel them to the 2024 general elections.
