"WHY I SNATCHED THE BALLOT PAPER" - CARLOS AHENKORAH BREAKS SILENCE
Tema West MP Carlos Ahenkorah has rendered an unqualified apology to Ghanaians for causing a stir in Parliament on Thursday during the counting of ballots for a new speaker.
In a statement, the former Deputy Trade Minister explained that he meant well when he snatched some ballot papers in the Chamber aimed at saving the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) from losing.
According to him, the NPP could not allow itself to be bullied in Parliament, especially when the NDC MPs led by Asawase MP, Muntaka Mubarak, kept snatching and kicking the ballot box and the voting booth without any reaction from his members.
He said his action was out of love for the NPP but it is just unfortunate it did not go well.
The Tema West MP apologised for the incident especially to his family and friends both near and far who may be affected by his actions.
“The NPP in me couldn’t be controlled. I apologise but i tried!!!” he added.
Mr Ahenkorah said he couldn’t watch as NDC executed a well-orchestrated plan towards using NPP members to snatch the speakership adding that his apology is genuine.
Carlos Ahenkorah was among 275 MPs sworn in by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin on Thursday for the 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic.
Read his full text below:
My party the NPP, of course, enjoys a slim majority in parliament courtesy the independent candidate from Fomena. By this arithmetic, the NPP was supposed to occupy the right side of the speaker in the chamber. When we got to parliament, the opposition had occupied our seats. We tried to convince and work things out with them but they declined whilst almost assaulting the marshals of Parliament. We conceded because of the inauguration ahead of us and sat in their space.
Then the Clerk of parliament announced that the injuncted Assin North MP couldn’t vote by virtue of a court order served on him. After a long heated debate, the NDC still wouldn’t yield. Leadership went into conclave and returned with one of the most unfavourable agreements ever.
In a statement, the former Deputy Trade Minister explained that he meant well when he snatched some ballot papers in the Chamber aimed at saving the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) from losing.
According to him, the NPP could not allow itself to be bullied in Parliament, especially when the NDC MPs led by Asawase MP, Muntaka Mubarak, kept snatching and kicking the ballot box and the voting booth without any reaction from his members.
He said his action was out of love for the NPP but it is just unfortunate it did not go well.
The Tema West MP apologised for the incident especially to his family and friends both near and far who may be affected by his actions.
“The NPP in me couldn’t be controlled. I apologise but i tried!!!” he added.
Mr Ahenkorah said he couldn’t watch as NDC executed a well-orchestrated plan towards using NPP members to snatch the speakership adding that his apology is genuine.
Carlos Ahenkorah was among 275 MPs sworn in by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin on Thursday for the 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic.
Read his full text below:
My party the NPP, of course, enjoys a slim majority in parliament courtesy the independent candidate from Fomena. By this arithmetic, the NPP was supposed to occupy the right side of the speaker in the chamber. When we got to parliament, the opposition had occupied our seats. We tried to convince and work things out with them but they declined whilst almost assaulting the marshals of Parliament. We conceded because of the inauguration ahead of us and sat in their space.
Then the Clerk of parliament announced that the injuncted Assin North MP couldn’t vote by virtue of a court order served on him. After a long heated debate, the NDC still wouldn’t yield. Leadership went into conclave and returned with one of the most unfavourable agreements ever.
That a clause in the constitution forbids anyone who isn’t qualified to vote in parliament to vote. If the injunctured MP elect decides to vote, he suffers the consequences afterwards himself. How ridiculous! What if his vote changes the outcome of the elections before he goes to court?
Then we got to voting and the minority claimed they won’t allow any whipping, in order words no one can show their vote to their whips after voting. Really? Then what’s the whip system for? Why do we have whips? Since the beginning of the 4th Republic, elections had always been controlled by whips to ensure their members vote on a particular line.
Then we got to voting and the minority claimed they won’t allow any whipping, in order words no one can show their vote to their whips after voting. Really? Then what’s the whip system for? Why do we have whips? Since the beginning of the 4th Republic, elections had always been controlled by whips to ensure their members vote on a particular line.
It happens everywhere in this world. Asking us not to be whipped sent us all wondering. The NPP didn’t comply. The clerk ruled that voting could commence after a little back and forth. As the first few NPP members voted, the NDC whip in the person of Muntaka attacked an NPP member and collected his ballot paper from him because he’s shown it to someone.
A scuffle ensued and he took the ballot box itself and the ballots inside away. After a long wait, balloting recommenced. This time the same Muntaka took the ballot box and runoff that someone was showing their ballot whiles John Jinapor and Sam George kick boxed the voting booth. This act happened three times so leadership had to go into conclave once more. Upon their return, they asked us not to show our votes anymore. I Immediately sensed danger, especially when during voting we noticed many skirmishes where some opposition members would cross over into the NPP voting booth to vote there etc.
Looking at the slim margin between us, (NPP and NDC)all the NDC had to do was to lure or convince a couple of members of NPP and carry the day. So I indicated to leadership the dangers in that ruling. After voting and true to my words, the NPP votes counted 136 instead of 138 numbers we had. I wouldn’t accept that. The irregularities accompanying the voting from the start were too many which had compromised the voting so much so that I wanted to create a situation for a rerun. Just as my colleague from the other side took the ballot box away on three occasions, I also grabbed a few ballot papers before they could be counted so as to force a rerun.
It’s a very tough situation to have opposition as Speaker especially when he’s the president in the absence of Nana Addo and his vice not to mention how parliament would function by passing the presidents policies and laws to pave way for development. My colleagues on the majority side couldn’t help take advantage of my sacrifices to force a rerun and we’d to settle for an opposition speaker. I must say I am heartbroken and dejected. We’ve not seen the end of this yet.
With this success, they would tell us what they want and what they don’t in parliament because the whip system has been compromised. This is so sad. I’ll die for my party any day. I did it for the grassroots who relied on us in power to survive, the president who needs some peace to run the country and the greater NPP party as a whole because we cannot always allow the NDC to threaten and vilify us. I apologise though to my family and friends both far and near who may be affected by my actions. The NPP in me couldn’t be controlled. I apologise but I tried!!!
A scuffle ensued and he took the ballot box itself and the ballots inside away. After a long wait, balloting recommenced. This time the same Muntaka took the ballot box and runoff that someone was showing their ballot whiles John Jinapor and Sam George kick boxed the voting booth. This act happened three times so leadership had to go into conclave once more. Upon their return, they asked us not to show our votes anymore. I Immediately sensed danger, especially when during voting we noticed many skirmishes where some opposition members would cross over into the NPP voting booth to vote there etc.
Looking at the slim margin between us, (NPP and NDC)all the NDC had to do was to lure or convince a couple of members of NPP and carry the day. So I indicated to leadership the dangers in that ruling. After voting and true to my words, the NPP votes counted 136 instead of 138 numbers we had. I wouldn’t accept that. The irregularities accompanying the voting from the start were too many which had compromised the voting so much so that I wanted to create a situation for a rerun. Just as my colleague from the other side took the ballot box away on three occasions, I also grabbed a few ballot papers before they could be counted so as to force a rerun.
It’s a very tough situation to have opposition as Speaker especially when he’s the president in the absence of Nana Addo and his vice not to mention how parliament would function by passing the presidents policies and laws to pave way for development. My colleagues on the majority side couldn’t help take advantage of my sacrifices to force a rerun and we’d to settle for an opposition speaker. I must say I am heartbroken and dejected. We’ve not seen the end of this yet.
With this success, they would tell us what they want and what they don’t in parliament because the whip system has been compromised. This is so sad. I’ll die for my party any day. I did it for the grassroots who relied on us in power to survive, the president who needs some peace to run the country and the greater NPP party as a whole because we cannot always allow the NDC to threaten and vilify us. I apologise though to my family and friends both far and near who may be affected by my actions. The NPP in me couldn’t be controlled. I apologise but I tried!!!
About Mypress
No comments