By-elections should be scrapped altogether – Kofi Bentil
Private legal practitioner Kofi Bentil has said that by-elections in Ghana should be scrapped altogether.
According to him, there should be automatic replacement rather than going to the polls to elect a new lawmaker following the demise of a Member of Parliament.
He was reacting to the decision by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to withdraw from the upcoming Tamale Central by-election.
In a Facebook post, he said: “This is what a smart, sensitive political party does. I hope it is reciprocated. And as I’ve said in the past, I hope by-elections are scrapped altogether. Well done, NPP.”
Responding to a comment that elections should be contested, he added: “That view is not universally accepted. Ask the British why they replace prime ministers instead of voting each time.”Remove Ads
Similarly, the Founding President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, said the decision by the NPP not to contest in the Tamale Central by-election was a good one.
He urged the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to emulate the move and withdraw from the Akwatia by-election as well.
“The NPP has decided not to contest the late Hon. Murtala’s seat. Good call. The NDC should do the same. They should not contest Akwatia,” he wrote on Facebook.
The NPP’s decision to withdraw from the by-election follows the tragic death of the area’s Member of Parliament, Dr. Murtala Mohammed, in the August 6 helicopter crash.
In a statement signed by NPP General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong, the party said the decision was taken during a National Steering Committee meeting held on Monday, August 11, 2025, at its national headquarters.
The resolution, made in line with Article 10(10)(1) of the NPP Constitution, was influenced by what the party described as the “circumstances under which the Tamale Central seat has become vacant” and the need to avoid deepening political divisions during a period of national mourning.
“The NPP is of the belief that it would be inhumane and unconscionable to subject the nation to a competitive process in search of a replacement for the departed MP,” the statement read. “The tension and acrimony often associated with the conduct of by-elections in the country should be avoided.”
The party noted that the most fitting way to honour Dr. Murtala Mohammed and the other crash victims was not only to intensify the fight against illegal mining (galamsey) but also to ensure a peaceful and uncontentious process to replace the late MP.
“When the Electoral Commission of Ghana opens nominations for the Tamale Central by-election, the NPP will, in accord with the national interest, not take part in the contest,” the statement concluded.
Source: 3news