Michael Okyere Baafi, the Member of Parliament for New Juaben South, has declared that he will not seek re-election in 2028, attributing his decision to the troubling state of Ghana’s political landscape.
“If this is the direction our politics is taking, then the world is becoming a scarier place. That’s why I, along with some others, have decided not to run again after this term,” stated the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker.
Baafi expressed his dissatisfaction with the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the last election, accusing them of resorting to desperate measures to influence voters in his constituency.
He recalled the NDC’s last-minute efforts, which included road construction just days before the election and bringing in supplies like spray machines, hair dryers, and fertilizers aimed at winning support.
“I encouraged my supporters by saying we were winning, even going as far as saying if we lost, I would resign. I now apologize for that statement; I went too far,” Baafi admitted.
The MP further alleged that the NDC engaged in vote-buying, offering GH¢500 to GH¢1,000 to voters, which he believes affected the election outcome.
“Given our campaign efforts, candidate strengths, and large supporter turnout, I was confident of victory. However, on election day, the opposition resorted to purchasing votes to sway the results,” he revealed.