Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye
THE SPEAKER of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, has advised Members of Parliament (MPs) who lost in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) internal race to maintain high spirits and find a renewed sense of purpose for their work in the legislature.
According to him, the stress of losing an election though can take a heavy toll on overall mental and emotional health of an individual, one thing we should all realize is that sometimes you lose and sometimes you win.
Addressing MPs on the Floor of Parliament on Tuesday, Prof. Oquaye said “legislators must act as specimens and assume circumspection in all we do and all that we say is good to the hearts.”
The Speaker was reacting to the outcome of the NPP primaries in which 40 incumbent MPs, including leaders of committees, were defeated.
“In politics, we know there is a political class and when you talk about that group of people it affects both the Majority and Minority at any given time because those are the people who are in politics and the game of politics,” he said.
“I pray that we conduct our affairs in that manner for the rest of the people. For those who won, congratulations! Those who did not, better luck next time,” consoled.
“We are in a very difficult situation and, in fact, one thing we should all realize is that sometimes you lose and sometimes you win,” he added.
“Once you win a fight (today), be prepared to lose one someday and that is the name of the game. In fact, if nobody lost, nobody would be here (Parliament),” he pointed out.
“For our colleagues, let us cool them down and let them know that we understand the enterprise of politics and that itself is good for the political hemisphere or peace and posterity. The work of Parliament should proceed unabated,” he stressed.
The Speaker, who is a professor of political science, added “for both sides, if you perform well in this honourable House your leaders and members will know and good things will await you.”
The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, took the opportunity to formally congratulate all his colleague members of the House who were successful in the 2020 primaries of the NPP.
“Having successfully crossed the first hurdle, it is my fervent hope that we shall work conscientiously towards a decent, free and fair elections devoid of violence and acrimony, come December 7, when we all return to the polls,” he emphasized.
The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, also congratulated “the survivors of the tsunami or tornado in the competitive democratic politics of the NPP.”
“For those who were unable to make it, better luck next time,” he stated, and added that there was a concern over whether the MPs or the government was unpopular or money was popular in the internal polls.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House