NPP Will Suffer If Veteran MPs Quit Parliament – Ben Ephson

Pollster Ben Ephson says the NPP will be adversely affected if its experienced MPs quit the next Parliament. Eleven MPs from the Minority including stalwarts like Professor Mike Quaye, Hackman Owusu Agyemang, Nana Akomea, Albert Kan-Dapaah, and I. C. Quaye have announced they will not be seeking re-election in the 2012 polls.

The NPP’s General Secretary has downplayed the impact of the exits, but the Publisher of the Daily Dispatch newspaper Ben Ephson disagrees.

Mr Ephson said it was critical for the heavyweights to maximize the NPP’s votes in their respective constituencies. Many of the MPs quitting say they are doing so to have enough time to campaign for the NPP flag-bearer Nana Akufo-Addo.

But Mr Ephson believes they would be more effective in helping their party flag-bearer if they contested the elections themselves. Former First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Freddie Blay agrees with Ben Ephson but says other MP aspirants could fit into their shoes and deliver.

He argued the new aspirants will bring enthusiasm and freshness to the table and that will help the party variously.