Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has dismissed claims that he was part of plans by the Tema West lawmaker Carlos Ahenkorah to snatch ballot papers during the Speaker election on Thursday.
Mr Ahenkorah has come under fierce criticisms after he was captured on television snatching ballot papers during counting after MPs voted to elect a Speaker for the 8th Parliament. He was seen in a conversation with the Suame MP before embarking on the action sparking suspicions he was in the know.
The experienced lawmaker is however quoted by Ghanaweb that he dismissed:
“So, I was asking Annoh Dompreh to move from his place to come and be at where they were doing the counting for Bagbin… just when I was calling him Carlos Ahenkorah approached me and his statement was that… “do we just sit down and allow the NDC to win the speakership, and I asked him, where is this coming from… and in any event what is it that you want to do, please get away from here? So, I was even shouting at him to get away from me… I don’t know what happened”.
Explaining the basis for his action, the former deputy Minister said: “I must say I am heartbroken and dejected. We’ve not seen the end of this yet. With this success, they would tell us what they want and what they don’t in parliament because the whip system has been compromised. This is so sad. I’ll die for my party any day. I did it for the grassroots who relied on us in power to survive, the president who needs some peace to run the country and the greater NPP party as a whole because we cannot always allow the NDC to threaten and vilify us. I apologise though to my family and friends both far and near who may be affected by my actions. The NPP in me couldn’t be controlled. I apologise but I tried!!!”.
He, however, justified his action saying ”The first few NPP members voted the NDC whip in the person of Muntaka attacked an NPP member and collected his ballot paper from him because he’s shown it to someone. A scuffle ensued and he took the ballot box itself and the ballots inside away. After a long wait, balloting recommenced. This time the same Muntaka took the ballot box and runoff that someone was showing their ballot whiles John Jinapor and Sam George kick boxed the voting booth”.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh
