NPP MPs go to Parliament at 4 a.m. before the first sitting

To avoid losing their seat on the Speaker’s right side, some New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmakers were sitting in the House at 4 a.m.

It is about six hours before the regular sitting of the House.

The action of the NPP deputies follows the seizure of their seats by their colleagues in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) the day before January 7, before the inauguration of the 8th Parliament.

Dressed in white, the then minority had arrived in Parliament a few hours before sitting down to take the lead on the right side of Parliament.

The situation left members of the ruling party in shock when they arrived in the House.

For about 20 minutes, MP Adansi Asokwa, KT Hammond, and former Home Secretary Ambrose Dery, as well as former Defense Minister Dominic Nitiwul tried unsuccessfully to convince the minority to return to their homes. seats.

The situation then led to insults and close brawls.

The question of who occupies the majority side of the House has been a big issue since the NPP and the NDC opposition have 137 members each.

Since the House was inaugurated, members of both caucuses of Parliament have taken to social media and other news outlets to insist on their demands over who is entitled to be called the majority.

Leading the argument for the NPP, his caucus leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said the decision of the only independent House candidate to join the NPP is a clear indication that they are in the majority. .

But NDC deputies denied this argument.

Their caucus leader Haruna Iddrisu says MP Fomena’s choice to join the NPP does not influence the numbers.

He explained that his caucus will only agree to sit on the Speaker’s left if the NPP agrees to respect their numbers and influence.

Meanwhile, President Alban Bagbin, who is himself a member of the NDC, is expected to put the case to rest in the House’s first sitting today.