The Director of Legal Affairs for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Gary Nimako, has condemned NPP Members of Parliament who have chosen to contest as independent candidates in the 2024 election.

Discussing the current state of Parliament on Joy News’ Newsfile on Saturday, October 26, Gary said, “For me, if you go into a primary and you lose, then decide that having lost the election, you want to run as an independent candidate against the party’s nominated candidate, to me, it’s unfair.”

He believes that running as an independent candidate will not help the NPP and the government, and that is contributing to the ongoing issues regarding vacant seats in Parliament.

Gary does not understand why aggrieved MPs would choose to run independently after everyone had the opportunity to contest in the 2024 primaries of the party without intimidation.

He noted that only one case had been taken to court regarding the primaries, emphasizing that everyone had the chance to participate.

totalling“We have been conducting primaries in the party, and after the primaries, we often face litigation in court, with several cases sometimes totaling 46 or even 30. In fact, this year was the only time that the party held primaries with only one case in court. Everybody who participated in these primaries was given the full opportunity to take part freely,” he said.

Gary expressed his disappointment with the NPP MPs who announced their intention to contest the election as independent candidates.

“It is not right, it is very very wrong, but that doesn't mean that they also don't have the right to stay in Parliament,” he stressed out.

There's a stand-off in Parliament over the composition of both sides of the house after the Speaker declared four seats vacant because the MPs crossed the carpet to contest the 2024 election as independent candidates.

The Speaker's ruling however hangs in the balance following a Supreme Court order. The Speaker has since adjourned parliament indefinitely after MPs returned to the house and disagreed over who forms the majority.