Suhuyini removed from parliament for unruly behaviour

The Speaker of Parliament on Wednesday sacked the MP for Tamale North Alhassan Suhuyini from the chamber for unruly behaviour.

Suhuyini was shouting on top of his voice during a debate on the minority’s boycott of the swearing in of the MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon Lydia Alhassan Tuesday during which some members of the minority displayed placards with the inscription ‘bloody widow’.

Suhuyini protesting the demand on the minority by the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament Joe Osei Owusu sitting as the Speaker to apologise for the ‘bloody widow’ placard was heard shouting urging the leadership of the minority not to apologize.

Osei Owusu found his conduct as improper and un-parliamentary and ordered for him to be removed from the chamber.

Meanwhile, Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak condemned the labelling of the new Ayawaso West-Wuogon MP as ‘bloody widow’ by the minority caucus of the House.

The Minority who walked out of the House during the swearing-in ceremony of the new MP held placards with the offensive inscription Tuesday. They claim she is a product of a ‘bloody process’ – in reference to the chaos that characterized her election last week.

The labelling has been widely condemned by Ghanaians.

Speaking on the floor of the House Wednesday, the Asawase MP said the action of his group was targeted at the wrong person.

“Let us all not pretend to be hypocrites; when it happening on your side then it is good, when it happening on the other side then you cry foul. Let us standardize what we do. Mr Speaker let me say that what we did yesterday was within the parliamentary procedure. If others had placards it is wrong just as it has always been happening in this chamber and we keep condemning it.

“But when people want to narrow it to our deal colleague Honorable Lydia Alhassan, let say that is very unfortunate because she does not control the security agencies, she doesn’t influence anything. We need cool heads and take the issues that have happened without trying sideline the main issues with some of the people lying in hospitals,” he said.

Justification

But deputy Minority Leader of Parliament James Klutse Avedzi had in an interview with Starr News justified the decision of the minority.

“We did not take part in the swearing-in because we had issues with the election processes. Lydia is a product of a bloody process and that is the interpretation of what we had on the placards.

“Nobody should read any other meaning into the inscription. The election of Madam Alhassan and all that characterized it, (the shedding of blood) is what is being described as Bloody Widow,” he said.