Mr Andrew Amoako Asiamah, the Independent Member of Parliament for Fomena and Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, has refuted claims that he is under pressure to determine whether or not to run for re-election in 2024 on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the party to which he belonged before he was expelled.
The leadership of the NPP booted Mr Asiamah, who was the incumbent lawmaker for the region on the party’s ticket ahead of the 2020 election.
His seat in parliament was then proclaimed vacant by the then-Speaker, Professor Mike Aaron Ocaquye. However, he stood as an independent candidate and won, despite the fact that the NPP and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) both gained 137 seats in the election.
He then wrote to the new speaker, Alban Bagbin, telling him of his intention to work with the NPP’s side of the House, a move that resulted in the NPP being proclaimed the majority in Parliament.
“Our attention has been drawn to a publication in which the honorable Member of Parliament and second deputy speaker of Parliament,Andrew Amoako Asiamah is alleged to have claimed that he is under pressure to announce whether or not he intends to contest the 2024 parliamentary elections on the ticket of the governing party,” said a statement released and signed by his aide, Seth Oduro on Thursday March 18.
In reality, since being sworn in as the second deputy speaker of the 8th Parliament on January 7, 2021, the honorable Andrew Amoako Asiamah has not given any media interviews.
“We are therefore shocked that a number of portals have sullied their reputations by publishing an alleged interview that never took place in the first place; this is not only immoral and an affront to good journalistic practices, but it is also dangerous for the country’s fledgling democracy. We would like to state unequivocally that no such interview took place, and that the argument is false and the product of someone’s imagination.
Read Also: Afriyie Akoto denies sharing GHS1 million to NPP executives in Ashanti Region
Below is the full statement…
I AM NOT UNDER PRESSURE TO DECLARE WHETHER I WILL CONTEST 2024 ELECTIONS ON THE TICKET OF NPP-FOMENA MP
Our attention has been drawn to, a publication in which the honorable Member of Parliament and second deputy speaker of Parliament ,Andrew Amoako Asiamah is alleged to have stated that he is under pressure to declare whether or not he intends to contest the 2024 parliamentary elections on the ticket of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
As a matter of fact the honourable Andrew Amoako Asiamah has not granted any media interview since he was sworned in as the second deputy speaker of the 8th Parliament on January 7,2021.
We are therefore surprised that a number of portals have soured their publication to a purported interview that never happened in the first place.
This is not only unethical and an affront to good journalistic standards but also dangerous for the country’s budding democracy.
We wish to put on record that there was no such interview and the claim is false and a figment of someone’s imagination.
We are aware of the continued attempts to soil the hard earned reputation of the honourable MP in order to court him disaffection.
The MP is not under any pressure whatsoever to declare his stance on the matter.
Indeed the constituents who sent him to parliament to represent them as an independent candidate perfectly understand the special circumstances surrounding his election..
They are happy with his performance thus far.
Honourable Andrew Amoako Asiamah is also grateful for the honour done him upon his elevation as second speaker of the August house.
For now he is busy contributing his quota towards consolidating the constitutional order,the national development agenda as well as the development of Fomena and the Ashanti Region as a whole.
He will not be detracted by those who want him to fail so they can ride on his shoulders to launch their political carrier.
We urge the good people of Ghana and particularly Fomena constituents to ignore the publication with the contempt it deserves.
Signed…
Seth Oduro
Aide To the Fomena MP
SOURCE: ATLFMNEWSONLINE