Presidential Candidate for the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama has described the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye as the most oppressive leader in Parliament in the 4th Republic.
According to the former President, Rt Hon Speaker Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye has been suppressing the Minority in Parliament from having a fruitful debate on the floor of Parliament, going against the spirit of divergent view which enriches the practice of democracy.
Addressing a gathering from Keta Krachi in the Oti Region, former President John Dramani Mahama bemoaned the worrying trend of suppression under the Akufo-Addo government where people are not allowed to freely speak their mind to authority without being attacked.
He added that the previous Speakers of Parliament have helped in the course of democratic dispensation where every Member of Parliament gets the equal opportunity to speak on the floor of Parliament without being oppressed.
To him, the 7th Parliament under the 4th Republic has suffered oppression from the current Speaker, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye who has introduced intimidation and tyranny in the Parliamentary proceedings.
Former President John Dramani Mahama, however, recalled how fruitful and effective Parliament used to be from 1996 when he was a Member of Parliament; thus, they were allowed to express themselves while discussing issues of national interest, but he cannot speak the same under Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye.
“I have been a Member of Parliament before; from 1996, we all have been having a fruitful debate and everyone can speak their minds but we now have a Speaker of Parliament who is being oppressive. He does not allow the Minority to speak freely and I have received a report from the Minority complaining about the tyrannical behaviour of the Speaker. In the era of Peter Ala Adjetey, Parliament used to be effective and we all enjoyed Parliament but not today,” he bemoaned.
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