Election of Speaker: Muntaka Mubarak throws punch, 'snatches' ballot box

From just after midnight on 7 January and for three hours, there was confusion in Parliament over the election of Speaker.

Just when everything seemed calm and voting was about to begin, another chaos erupted in Parliament with Muntaka Mubarak, the Member of Parliament-elect for Asawase directing a punch at Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie.

The NDC Chief Whip was seen throwing a fist at one of the MPs over a disagreement on the position of the ballot box.

He subsequently lifted the ballot box and positioned it somewhere else than it initially was.

The disagreement was over how the ballot should be cast. Muntaka Mubarak, was advocating for secret ballots in line with the Standing Orders of Parliament while the NPP wanted their Chief Whips to inspect the ballots before it was placed inside the ballot box.

It marked another setback for the process that had been marred by confusion right from the word go.

Earlier before proceedings started, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the MP for Ablekuma West was pushed which prompted retaliation from her.

Owusu-Ekuful, the outgoing Communications Minister in response shoved Collin Dauda to the floor which created a standoff between the two sides.

There was also a disagreement over the eligibility of the MP-elect for Cape Coast to partake in the voting.

Cool heads prevailed eventually only for it to escalate later.