The Member of Parliament(MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong has come out to explain his calm conduct in Parliament amid the chaos that erupted in the election of the Speaker.
Mr Agyapong disclosed that he was not ready to participate in any chaotic scene that will “destroy the peace we have” in the country, thus his reason for laying apart from the uproar in Parliament.
Many were surprised to see the outspoken legislator sitting down calmly and keeping to himself. He was one of many NPP MPs who maintained their cool during the dispute between majority and minority sides of Parliament.
Speaking in an interview on Oman FM, the legislator said, “I didn’t want to destroy Akufo-Addo’s swearing-in that is why I sat down quietly and observed the NDC members.”
“We (NPP) could have fought, but it would have dragged and affected the swearing-in of MPs-elect and eventually the President and his Vice-President’s swearing-in, that is why we from the NPP side decided to be quiet to let the NDC members have their way.”
Kennedy Agyapong alleged that there was a deliberate attempt by some NDC Members of Parliament to cause chaos and disrupt the swearing-in and inauguration of President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Fundamentally, to avoid any delays which would have affected the swearing-in and inauguration process, some of the NPP MPs including himself decided to remain calm especially on account of the dignitaries in the country who were invited to witness the event.
There were a lot of dramatic scenes amidst the dissolution of the 7th Parliament and inception of the 8th parliament of the fourth republic.
Remarkable of them were the election of Speaker of Parliament where some ballot papers were snatched, the taking over of the Majority seats by the NDC members of parliament and a debate to allow or not to allow the MP-elect for Assin North to participate in the election of the Speaker of Parliament following a court injunction.
These incidents hauled the inauguration of incumbent Akufo-Addo, the event was eventually commenced an hour after the initial stipulated time though it was successful.
The NDC MPs however, refused to attend the swearing-in ceremony, a boycott which will not come as a surprise to many Ghanaians considering that the party’s presidential candidate in the December 7 polls, John Dramani Mahama is contesting the outcome of the elections at the Supreme Court.
