<<Print>>

If the main opposition party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) decides, after exhausting all legal avenues, to expel its Member of Parliament (MP) for Asikuma/Odoben/Brakwa, Mr Paul Collins Appiah Ofori, it is unclear what the MP�s situation will be. The NPP is under pressure from hawks in the party, to expel the MP, popularly known as Mr P.C Appiah Ofori from the party. The last straw which appears to have set the 66-year-old MP on a collision course with his party was the allegation he made that some NPP MPs who voted for the passage of the GT/VODAFONE deal was given US$5,000 as �thank you�. Credible reports reaching The Daily Dispatch indicate that there is a strong possibility that Mr Appiah Ofori could resign as an NPP MP and contest the by-election as an independent candidate. In the event of these reports being true, what are the chances of Mr Appiah-Ofori contesting as an independent candidate? In the 2008 parliamentary election, P.C. retained his seat by only 311 votes, as compared to the 6.806 votes margin that he won in 2004. In 2004, P.C. had 21,843 votes (56.8%) and the NDC�s candidate, Ms. Georgina Aboah had 15,037 votes (39.1%). In last year�s elections, P.C. had 18.095 votes (48.8%) and the same Ms. Aboah had 17,724 votes (47.9%). Comparisons of voting patterns in the parliamentary and presidential elections in 2004 and 2008 are necessary in assessing P.C. Appiah Ofori�s popularity. In 2008, he had 145 votes more than the total number of votes obtained by his presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo � 17950. In 2004, Mr Appiah-Ofori had 21,843 votes, as against 23,631 votes by the then presidential candidate, Mr J.A. Kufuor. Will the NPP expel Mr Appiah Ofori as a member? If the party does, what will be his status in Parliament? Will Mr Appiah Ofori resign as an NPP MP?