The Member of Parliament-elect for Akwatia, Mr. Bernard Baidoo, has taken a swipe at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over what he described as a campaign heavily dependent on emotional appeal and devoid of real policy commitments.
In an interview with a sister radio station on Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Baidoo, who contested on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), argued that political alignment with the ruling government was key to bringing development to the Akwatia constituency.
“The connection is where the government of the day comes in. This is my government. His Excellency John Dramani Mahama is the president. It will be much easier to get the development we desire if I am given the opportunity to serve you,” Mr. Baidoo stated.
He further explained that being part of the ruling party’s caucus puts him in a better position to lobby for developmental projects for the constituency. “All the cabinet ministers are in my caucus and getting your needs addressed is easier. But an opposition MP can’t get the said connection,” he stressed.
Mr. Baidoo also criticized the NPP’s campaign strategy in the just-ended by-election, accusing the party of exploiting the emotions of voters through the use of the late MP’s image on campaign materials.
“The NPP’s strategy relied 90% on sympathy. Why would you use a poster with our late brother’s picture, as if he were your running mate?” he queried.
The Akwatia seat became vacant following the passing of the sitting MP, prompting a highly contested by-election. Mr. Baidoo’s victory marks a significant gain for the NDC in a constituency previously held by the NPP.
