“I am leaving Parliament because I am frustrated” – Nii Lantey Vanderpuye
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Odododiodoo Constituency, Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, has revealed his reasons for not contesting the upcoming parliamentary election in his constituency ahead of the 2024 general elections.
Mr Vanderpuye is very frustrated as MPs face numerous challenges in executing their duties, and political parties do not provide them with any form of protection.
“I am leaving parliament because I am frustrated; the [political] parties do not protect the people they have [in parliament]. So, you are subjected to so much pressure that, after a time, you lose interest because you don’t get the sort of environment to be able to harmonize the talents and competence you have,” Mr. Vanderpuye noted.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP added that the pressure on lawmakers often results in a high attrition rate in parliament.
“The attrition rate in parliament is too high, and as such, people do not get the sort of experience they require to advance the work of parliament. One of the gentlemen I admire so much since I entered that House in 2013 was Dr. Osei Assibey. When I look at the work he does and how he comes out to analyze documents, I can see someone who spent time researching to be able to ask the necessary questions. The late Dr. Akoto Osei was another when it came to drafting bills”.
“Bagbin is succeeding as a Speaker because of the lengthy experience he has had as a member of parliament. If you look at his speakership, you will see some quality that is better than what we saw of other speakers who were not members of parliament, and it is clear for us to see,” Nii Lante Vanderpuye stated in an interview on Citi FM.
Consequently, he has decided to hang his boots and avoid contesting the parliamentary race in the Odododiodoo Constituency in October this year.
Mr Vanderpuye, who was elected as MP in the 2012 elections. He famously stated that if he received less than 65% of the vote, he would concede the seat to his opponent, Victor Okaikoi of the New Patriotic Party.
However, Mr Vanderpuye secured the victory with 63% of the vote (45,967 votes), while Okaikoi garnered 36% (26,269 votes). Emmanuel Odoi of the Convention People’s Party received 1% (745 votes).
In December 2016, Mr Vanderpuye was re-elected as a MP for the Odododiodioo by obtaining 57.04% of the vote (36,606 votes).
His closest contender from the New Patriotic Party secured 41.56% (26,671 votes).