Kwadjo Asante, the MP for Suhum, has revealed that he was removed from the WhatsApp group for New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament immediately after he filed to run as an independent candidate.
He stated that the Majority Chief Whip and MP for Nsawam Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, removed him from the group as soon as he submitted his nomination papers.
“The moment I filed my documents to contest as independent, I was taken off the NPP MPs platform,” he told Captain Smart during an interview on Onua TV’s morning show, Maakye, on October 23, 2024.
When asked who removed him, he mentioned, “Annoh-Dompreh, the Chief Whip, was the one who took me off, but he has since added me back about two to three days ago.”
Asante noted that he has remained silent in the group since being re-added, especially after rumors circulated about him rescinding his decision to run, which he confirmed to be false.
He also mentioned that he hasn’t inquired about the reason for his re-addition, as he was not informed of the reason for his initial removal.
“I haven’t spoken since being added back, but when I saw the publication about me rescinding my decision yesterday, I clarified that it’s fake because it pertains to me,” he explained.
“He didn’t inform me why he took me off, so I don’t know why I was added back. Perhaps my removal was an error,” he continued, emphasizing that he will keep attending Parliament to represent his constituents until the end of his term as MP.
“I still serve Ghanaians. I’m not just an NPP MP; I’m the Suhum MP,” he asserted.
Kwadjo Asante was elected under the NPP banner in December 2020, and after losing the party’s parliamentary primary for the December 2024 elections, he announced his intention to run as an independent candidate.
This decision, similar to those of three other MPs, according to Article 97 of the 1992 Constitution, leads to their vacating of seats in Parliament.
A ruling by the Speaker on October 17, 2024, clarified this, resulting in the NPP losing its majority status, with the opposition NDC becoming the minority.
However, a Supreme Court decision on an ex parte motion has temporarily stayed the ruling, allowing these members to retain their positions until the Supreme Court resolves a substantive motion seeking an interpretation of the Article.
On October 22, 2024, NPP MPs vacated Parliament, prompting the Speaker to adjourn the House indefinitely due to a lack of quorum.
