[ 2016-12-14 ]

Minister retires from politics after humiliating defeat
The Upper West Regional Minister and Member of
Parliament (MP) for Sissala West, Alhaji Amin
Amidu Sulemani has announced his retirement from
politics, after suffering a humiliating defeat in
the just ended parliamentary election.

Speaking to The Chronicle in an interview, the
former Minister of Roads and Highways said he was
initially not interested in contesting the Sissala
West seat again, but the party prevailed upon him
to rescind his decision and contest, only for the
same party members to turn round to ditch him.

“I did not want to contest the seat in the first
place this year, but there was pressure on me from
the party. That is how come I contested, but as
fate will have it, I lost”, he said.

Information picked from the grounds indicates that
the constituents voted ‘skirt and blouse’ (ie,
voted for Mahama and NPP candidate).

The former DCE for Sissala West, Mr. Moses Dramani
Luir, who was sacked for declaring his intention
to contest the minister in the primary, according
to unconfirmed report, masterminded the defeat of
the minister.

The same minister initially refused to accept
posting to Upper West as the regional minister
after he had been reshuffled from the Roads and
Highways Ministry.

The Chronicle understands some party executives
and family members had to intervene with an advice
that he would destroy the progression of his
political career, if he turned down the
appointment from the president.

After finally accepting to become the Regional
Minister, his DCE also decided to contest him in
the NDC primary. Though the DCE was eventually
relieved of his post, the development did not go
down well with the minister.

The frustrations and the eventual loss of his
parliamentary seat, The Chronicle understands,
compelled the minister to announce his retirement
from politics.

A source, which spoke to The Chronicle, said
Alhaji Amin Amidu Sulemani may soon be
‘enskined’ the chief of his village.

The Regional Minister, however, told The Chronicle
during the interview that he was leaving the
scene, proud of his achievements, which will
better the lives of the residents of Sissala West,
after constructing boreholes, roads and a number
of schools.

“I feel proud about my achievements but it is
not for me to rate myself but the people I
represented, who benefitted from the various
projects I embarked on”, he emphasized.

Meanwhile, this is the first time the NPP has won
the Sissala West seat since 2004, with Mr. Patrick
Al-Hassan Adamah polling 13,130 votes as against
Alhaji Amin Amidu Sulemani’s 9,762.

Source - The Chronicle

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