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The time in 2007 when an MP slapped a colleague in Parliament

Abdul Rauf Tanko Ibrahim And Sampson Ahi Alhaji Abdul-Rauf Tanko Ibrahim with Sampson Ahi. The two had the incident in July 2007

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 Source: www.ghanaweb.com

It is not everyday you hear stories like these, especially when they concern people who are supposed to be on the same side of the political divide, but the most unimaginable happened on the Floor of Parliament in 2007.

As Minority MPs in the last presidential term of former President John Agyekum Kufuor, Sampson Ahi, then Member of Parliament of Juaboso, and Alhaji Abdul-Rauf Tanko Ibrahim, MP of Yagaba-Kubori in the Northern Region, made headlines in the most shocking way.

The month was July 2007, and as the reports captured it then, a back-bencher MP from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) set an unenviable record in Ghana's parliamentary democracy when he violently slapped his colleague.

Alhaji Abdul-Rauf Tanko Ibrahim, MP of Yagaba-Kubori in the Northern Region, delivered a hefty slap to the left cheek of Sampson Ahi, then MP of Juaboso, in Parliament around 10:00 a.m, following a misunderstanding between the two.

After delivering the thunderous slap, Tanko, who was physically imposing, stood up from his chair and further threatened Ahi, saying, "If you joke, I will beat you."

This drew the attention of a few parliamentarians who rushed to the scene to prevent further escalation.

According to Ahi, when he arrived in the chamber, Tanko, who was already in his chair, had blocked the way. Ahi tapped him on the back and asked him to pull his chair forward to create a passage to his seat, which was next to Tanko's.

Though Tanko eventually made way, he later turned to Ahi and said, "Next time, don't do that foolish thing again."

Surprised by Tanko's overreaction to a harmless tap and request, Ahi asked how his actions constituted foolishness.

This question further enraged Tanko, whose next response was a hefty right-hand slap that landed on Ahi's left cheek, momentarily dazing him.

Tanko was whisked away to cool off outside the chamber, while Ahi remained speechless and motionless in his seat for some time before stepping out to speak to journalists.

Neither MPs returned to the chamber after the incident until the House adjourned after 2:00 p.m. Subsequently, the Minority Caucus, led by the then Minority Leader, Alban Bagbin, [now Speaker of Parliament] issued a statement condemning the fracas between the two lawmakers.

“The Minority wishes to express its indignation at the unparliamentary conduct of Hon. Ibrahim Rauf Tanko towards Hon. Sampson Ahi this morning in Parliament, following a misunderstanding between them. The Minority wishes to outrightly condemn the conduct of the Hon. Member.

“However, the conduct is being investigated by the leadership as a matter of urgency,” the statement by Minority Leader Alban Bagbin said.

Later, however, Tanko issued a statement expressing his remorse for the act of indiscretion.

“I wish to unreservedly apologise to my colleague and friend, Hon. Sampson Ahi for the unfortunate act of indiscretion on my part towards him this morning.

“I apologise to his constituents, the hardworking citizens of Juaboso Constituency. I further apologise to my colleague MPs, Parliament as an institution, my party, and the nation as a whole,” he stated.

The MP further said that, “As a mortal, I am infallible and therefore admit my conduct on that occasion was unparliamentary and I sincerely regret it.”

AE

Source: www.ghanaweb.com
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