Former Odododiodio MP, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has expressed deep disappointment with his final term in Ghana’s Parliament, stating bluntly that he does not miss being a legislator.
In an interview with GHOne TV, the three-term Member of Parliament revealed that his last four years in office, spanning from 2020 to 2024, were the most unfulfilling of his 12-year political career.
“I don’t miss Parliament. Let me be frank with you; my last term in Parliament was the most disappointing of all the 12 years. I was so eager to let the term of office come to an end so I could walk away,” he said.
Vanderpuye attributed his disillusionment to a growing conflict between his personal values and the demands of the legislative system.
According to him, he often found himself participating in decisions or actions that contradicted his principles.
“There were so many things that I saw in Parliament that were against my own principles, but I had to do it, be involved. Because that is what the structure and institution demands,” he explained.
He admitted that this internal conflict made his time in Parliament emotionally draining. At times, even getting ready to attend sittings became a spiritual and psychological struggle.
“Sometimes when I dressed up to go to Parliament, there was a battle between the spiritual Nii Lantey Vanderpuye and the physical Vanderpuye. Do I have to be there? Do I have to go?”
Vanderpuye’s candid remarks highlight the often unseen emotional toll of public office, especially when personal integrity clashes with institutional expectations.
His decision not to seek re-election appears to have been motivated by a desire to preserve his values and regain personal peace.
