Kwakye-Ackah voiced his dissatisfaction with the party’s internal processes, especially regarding the selection of its parliamentary candidates. According to him, despite paying the mandatory nomination fee to contest the NDC’s primary in Amenfi Central, his opponent, Joana Gyan Cudjoe, was declared the unopposed candidate, leaving him sidelined. He felt this move was highly unfair and expressed his disapproval of how the situation was handled. “I’ve been treated unfairly. If the party intends to rerun the primary, they should give everyone a fair chance. They took my nomination fee of GH¢45,000, only to declare my opponent unopposed. That’s unacceptable. If the people want me, I will stand as an independent,” Kwakye-Ackah stated in an interview with Citi FM.
His decision to contest as an independent has drawn attention, especially in light of his position as a sitting MP. Despite the risks involved in breaking away from the NDC, Kwakye-Ackah remains focused on his goal, emphasizing that his primary concern is the will of the people of Amenfi Central. He is confident that his constituents will continue to support him, even if he is no longer running on the party’s ticket.
Kwakye-Ackah is not alone in this move. Two other incumbent MPs from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Cynthia Mamle Morrison of Agona West and Kwadjo Asante of Suhum, have also chosen to run as independents in the December 2024 elections. Another notable case is Andrew Asiamah Amoako, the current Deputy Speaker of Parliament, who, after serving as an independent MP for Fomena, has now filed to contest on the NPP ticket.
The growing trend of MPs going independent has sparked debates, with Haruna Iddrisu, the MP for Tamale, calling for the Speaker of Parliament to declare their seats vacant. He argues that these MPs have essentially crossed party lines by running as independents.
Despite this, Kwakye-Ackah is undeterred. He insists that his decision to go independent is driven by a desire to serve his people fairly, adding that he would rather stand alone than continue under what he believes is an unjust system.
