Approval of Ministers: 2nd Dep Speaker condemns NDC MPs who took pictures of how they voted

Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament Andrew Asiamah Amoako has criticized some of the Members of Parliament (MPs) who allegedly took pictures of how they voted in the approval of the Ministers to explain to their party the line of voting.

He said the action was wrong.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, March 28, the MP for Fomena said “I am not saying this to spite anybody but bringing this to the attention of all of us so that we may refrain from this act.

If we are voting yes, let the yes be in our hearts that we voted yes.  If we are voting No, let nobody know that you are voting No.

“It is not just a matter of taking pictures and videos of and showing it to the world just to prove a point that this is the way you voted.

To me is not the best for this country.”

But responding to him, the Member of Parliament for Bole Bamboi Yusif Sulemana said if there was any evidence that someone took pictures of the voting, then that should nullify the results because the polls were supposed to have been secret.

“To the best of my knowledge the elections were conducted in secrecy but if there is any evidence to suggest that it wasn’t done in secrecy, what it means is that the results of the elections could be null and void.

If he has evidence, what do we do?  He should bring it out and then the results can be canceled and then we do the rightful thing.

“Having said this I also want to add that going forward the House needs to do some standards as to how to conduct elections in this House.”

On this same issue, the Tamale North Member of Parliament Alhassan Suhuyini said it is not worth it to prove his integrity to anyone in the NDC regarding the approval of the ministerial nominees.

He said even if he has evidence of how he voted in Parliament, he will not bother to prove his innocence to such a person.

His comments come after the NDC condemned the decision by some of its members of Parliament (MPs) to throw principle to the wind and pursue their parochial interest by voting for the six ministerial nominees of .

The party said the action of these renegade MPs only betrays the express will of the NDC and “constitutes a massive stab in the back of the good people of Ghana”.

The party said members, particularly leadership of the Caucus, who stayed true to the principles of the party must be highly commended.

“We will stop at nothing to identify them and publicly laud them in due course,” said a statement issued by the General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey.

In a statement his Facebook page, Suhuyini said “After two days, I’m now angry!

Not angry at those who betrayed everyone, including themselves, but at those of us swearing our innocence whilst cursing and witch hunting others and those making us all, the guilty and innocent, do that.

I know the most popular and politically correct thing to do now is to condemn, huff and puff, but anyone who knows me well enough knows, I’m not one to mostly give in to what is popular or politically correct.

“I prefer to be on the side of what I deem fair and, in all instances, CORRECT!

No wonder one of the bases for some to suspect or even conclude that I’m among the renegades is because I criticized the WAY, including timing (emphasis mine), our parliamentary leadership was reshuffled.

I joined our NDC side of the committee to recommend that all nominees be rejected at the plenary.

“Even on the floor, at least, on the Supreme Court nominees, I was one of our debaters, giving reasons and calling on the house to reject the nominations.

“I have therefore decided that anyone in NDC who requires me to prove my integrity is not worth it and, so, even if I have evidence of how I voted, I will not bother to prove my innocence to such a person.

It is enough indictment that adults like us can’t seek to do what is right when we are not recorded or watched.”

By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana