The Minority in Parliament on Tuesday walked out immediately the Speaker introduced new Member for Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency Lydia Seyram Alhassan for her swearing-in.
Ms Alhassan was victorious in Thursday’s by-election, which recorded incidents of violence despite a strong denial by the Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC).
The commotion, which mainly occurred at the residence of the candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Delali Kwasi Brempong, led to the withdrawal of his party midstream voting.
Despite the withdrawal of the NDC, the widow of the immediate past MP for the constituency polled 12,041, representing 68.80 per cent to emerge victorious.
After Ms Alhassan’s introduction for the administration of oath of office by First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu, Minority Chief Whip Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak caught the attention of the Bekwai MP to announce his side’s boycott of the exercise.
The Asawase MP stated that because of the security challenges that were encountered during the by-elections, the NDC will not be part of the exercise on the floor of the House.
“Unfortunately and in commemoration to support our comrades and citizens that were unecessarily hurt and brutally assaulted, I am sorry to say that we have all resolved [that] our side of the House cannot be here to witness this wearing-in,” he stressed to approval shouts from colleagues of the caucus.
They, thus, walked out.
Ms Alhassan was, nonetheless, sworn into office and officially took the seat as MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency.
Deputy Majority Leader Sarah Adwoa Safo said her caucus will not be perturbed by the absence of the other side.
“We will continue as usual, Mr Speaker, because all the constitutional requirement has been satisfied by this House and by the Electoral Commission,” the Dome-Kwabenya MP argued.
She bemoaned the action taken by the Minority, claiming it is going to serve as a bad precedent.
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