Political Scientist Dr Alidu Seidu says the seeming trend of replacing deceased MPs with their spouse or relatives might pose a threat to the sitting MP.

“If you are not careful wives of MPs who are not in good relations with their husbands could be mischievous about this.

“Sometimes in the highest level of evil, the spouse could hire an assassin to deal with the other person and so he/she will automatically become the candidate and lead in the particular constituency.

His response comes on the back of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) selecting Ophelia Hayford to succeed her murdered husband Ekow Quansah Hayford as the parliamentary candidate for the Mfantseman Constituency.

According to him, politicians settle on the spouses of the deceased to win a political party sympathy vote.

“If you look at Shai Osudoku, the same thing happened, they selected the wife and she won the seat. It also happened in Ayawaso West Wuogon, the party selected his wife and she also won the seat.”

Speaking on the quality of people elected to Parliament, he stated that the selected relatives may not have requisite skills and competence of the deceased spouses.

“Skills and competence is not transferable and you can’t inherent them.”

He reiterated that the trend might be a precedent that could be abused and could pose danger to MPs who are not in good terms with their spouse or relatives.