Speaker of Parliament Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye has urged members of the House who lost their contests during the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primaries last Saturday not to lose hope in their political careers.
Professor Oquaye, who was speaking after Members of Parliament returned to the Chamber yesterday after the primaries, asked the legislators to commit to the business of the House despite their defeat.
He also congratulated the winning MPs after consoling those who lost the primaries.
“Those who won congratulations, those who did not, better luck next time. In fact, one thing we should all realise is that sometimes we lose, sometimes we win, sometimes we win sometimes we lose.
“Once you win a fight, one day or the other, prepare to lose one someday and that is the name of the game,” Prof Oquaye said.
About 40 sitting NPP MPs who stood for elections to be retained as the party’s parliamentary candidates for the 2020 general election lost their primaries.
Statesmen
Speaker Oquaye advised members of the legislature to act as statesmen and assume some circumspection for the good of the House.
According to him, in the height of the political fever, as far as matters of the House are concerned there is a need to reflect on its affairs and how these would be conducted for the rest of the period.
He sympathized with the losers and wished them better luck next time.
The political atmosphere, he said, is a very competitive one and urged members to realize sometimes they will lose and sometimes they will win.
He called on the MPs, particularly the losing members to cool down their supporters and make them understand the enterprise of politics.
That, he said, would be good for the political atmosphere for peace and prosperity.
According to him, being out of Parliament does not mean a person cannot go on to serve.
“You can leave Parliament and serve in the next government.
“Some have really done that more strongly outside Parliament than inside Parliament. It happens for both the left and the right.
“We know precedents in this regard and so I will say let us all attend to the business of the House with all seriousness so that if fortune smiles on my left, some of you can continue to play important roles and if fortune smiles ultimately on the people on my right, you would also be able to play a meaningful role in the next government.” “I wish you all well and let us all play according to the rules of the game,” he stated.
