The unprovoked and unwarranted attack on Bagbin from Muntaka is unacceptable

The Friends of Democracy, Ghana has taken note of a viral video on both social and mainstream media in which the Minority Chief Whip of the Parliament of Ghana is seen making some disparaging remarks about the venerable Speaker of Parliament, the Rt Hon Alban Bagbin in the wake of the failed Censure Motion instituted against the Minister for Finance.

We deem the unfortunate, unprovoked and unwarranted attacks by the Minority Chief Whip as uncalled for, unfortunate and misplaced which demand an immediate unreserved apology from the Member of Parliament for the Asawase Constituency.

For the records, the Hon Minority Leader of the House, Haruna Iddrisu in his closing remarks on that eventful day when Parliament failed to pass the vote of Censure against the Finance Minister was full of praise and gratitude to the Rt Hon Speaker of Parliament for the guidance he provided the House on the matter of the Censure Motion as a novelty to this Parliament.

It is therefore shocking to witness for ourselves a completely variant position to this testament by no less a person but the Hon Muntaka Mubarak who is a big part of the leadership in parliament by virtue of his enviable position as Minority Chief whip who understands deeply the standing orders of the House as well as parliamentary practice and procedure.

Indeed, the Rt Hon Speaker of Parliament took the time and pains to explain in detail the reasons for the ruling he gave on the Motion of Censure by citing the relevant Standing Orders of the House as well as the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana to back the ruling and we have no cause to doubt Hon Muntaka Mubarak’s knowledge of same.

In a participatory parliamentary democracy like ours, there is room for disagreement and dissent which however is not a guarantee or call for brazen insults or attacks as portrayed by the Hon Minority Chief Whip. His conduct lends the Speaker to public ridicule and cast the personality of the Speaker in a bad light and taste in the eyes of the public which must not be encouraged or countenanced.

We implore the Hon Muntaka Mubarak to withdraw his comments and offer and an unreserved apology to the Rt Hon Alban Bagbin and the high office of the Speaker of Parliament.