The Minority in Parliament yesterday expressed its displeasure over the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, referring to the Minority Caucus as “micro-minority.”
The Minority Leader, Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, took a strong exception to Mr Bagbin’s description of the minority in those terms.
His side of the House wanted to stage a walkout in protest of the Speaker’s comment, which they found derogatory.
“Mr Speaker, with respect, the rules of this House provide for the Majority and the Minority (designations). We do not have any micro-minority. The Minority Caucus hereby protest the description given to us by the Speaker,” Mr Afenyo-Markin said.
He told the Speaker that his side supported and seconded his election as the Speaker.
In response, Mr Bagbin said Mr Afenyo-Markin was totally right and added that the term “micro-minority” would not be officially used by him (Speaker) in reference to the Minority.
But the Speaker’s intervention did not resolve the issue as Mr Afenyo-Markin alleged that the Majority side wanted to oust the Speaker, but for the Minority side, who supported him (Speaker).
The Majority Chief Whip, Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza, and Member of Parliament (MP) for Adaklu Constituency in the Volta Region, accused the Minority of pretending to love the Speaker more than the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Majority Caucus in the House.
He said Mr Afenyo-Markin had used offensive, insulting and abusive language against the Speaker at New Patriotic Party (NPP) political rallies.
Taking his turn to comment on the issue in contention, Mr Frank Annoh Dompreh, the Minority Chief Whip and MP for Nsawam Adoagyir in the Eastern Region, said it was because of the internal bickering in the NDC to change Mr Bagbin that President John Dramani Mahama, then President-elect, issued a statement to nominate Mr Bagbin for Speaker.
The MP for Tamale Central in the Northern Region, Dr Muhammed Ibrahim Murtala, for his part, said the Minority side were only trying to cry more than the bereaved.
The lawmaker reminded the Speaker that it was the Minority side that commandeered the military into the Chamber on the eve of the election of the Speaker on January 6, 2021.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
