Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, a leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has patched up with the Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, after the latter accused the former of peddling untruths against him.
Otchere-Darko, in the company of O B Amoah, the deputy local government minister, visited the Majority Leader in his office in Parliament on Wednesday (16 November) to smoke the peace pipe after denying the claims by the veteran lawmaker.
Insiders tell Asaase News that the matter was resolved amicably between the two party heavyweights.
What happened?
The MP for Suame was on the radio over the weekend claiming that Otchere-Darko had made unfounded allegations against him.
“From nowhere, we hear Gabby Otchere-Darko on his Asaase Radio, accusing me of instigating what was happening. For what? What do I stand to gain from that?
“That Gabby Otchere-Darko, who does he think he is? I serve Akufo-Addo, and I serve the party as well as the government … when we talk about the government itself, what is your locus standi to be accusing me of being an instigator?” Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu told the Kumasi-based Sompa FM over the weekend.
Strongly loyal
However, in a Facebook post, Otchere-Darko said: “I have said no such thing on Asaase Radio or any other radio station or media house, whether on air or online, either directly or indirectly. Indeed, my position, so far, on this issue in Parliament within the Majority Caucus, has been to deliberately stay away from commenting on it publicly.”
The Suame MP also accused the New Patriotic Party stalwart of sponsoring a failed candidate against him in the NPP’s parliamentary primaries leading to the 2016 elections.
In response, Otchere-Darko said: “I have never sponsored any candidate against the Majority Leader for the Suame seat. I would never do such a thing to a person I considered a strong loyalist even within the NPP.”
Below is Otchere-Darko’s full Facebook post, published on Tuesday:
I have listened to excerpts of the interview of the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, on Sompa Radio, claiming I had gone on Asaase Radio to allege that he was the ringleader behind the NPP MPs calling for the resignation of the Finance Minister. He is also quoted in reports of that interview online as saying that I sponsored a failed candidate against him in the NPP parliamentary primaries leading to the 2016 general election.
I have since sent him a message on this denying same. But I consider it necessary to also put my side out publicly.
1. I have said no such thing on Asaase Radio or any other radio station or media house, whether on air or online, either directly or indirectly. Indeed, my position, so far, on this issue in Parliament within the Majority Caucus, has been to deliberately stay away from commenting on it publicly.
2. I have never sponsored any candidate against the Majority Leader for the Suame seat. I would never do such a thing to a person I considered a strong loyalist even within the NPP.
Timelines
The eight-member committee convened by Speaker Alban Bagbin to investigate allegations of incompetence and conflict of interest against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, commenced sittings on Tuesday (15 November).
The Minority in Parliament has levelled seven allegations against the minister, including conflict of interest and fiscal recklessness.
The committee is being co-chaired by Dominic Ayine (the MP for Bolgatanga East) and KT Hammond (the MP for Adansi-Asokwa).
Members from the Majority side include Patrick Boamah (the MP for Okaikwei Central), Andrew Egyapa Mercer (for Sekondi) and Kwame Anyimadu Antwi (Asante Akim Central).
The non-chairing members from the Minority are Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings (the MP for Korle Klottey), Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (North Tongu) and Bernard Ahiafor (Akatsi South).
The committee has seven working days to complete its work and submit a report to the House.
Call for a fair hearing
On Thursday (10 November) the Minority Caucus filed a motion for a vote of censure against the minister.
The Speaker’s ruling came after the deputy Majority leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, challenged the Minority’s motion, arguing that the Minister for Finance would suffer injustice if the House went ahead with the application.
Afenyo-Markin said that upon proper scrutiny, it was clear that the Minority’s claims had criminal implications. He called for a fair hearing for the minister.
“These matters, upon proper scrutiny, are criminal in nature,” said Afenyo-Markin. “The minister should be given a fair hearing.
“If we go ahead with the application we will be doing a lot of injustice to our colleague. If this application is allowed, it will be injustice and unfairness. The minister wouldn’t have been given adequate time to prepare for his defence,” the deputy Majority leader said.
However, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, said President Akufo-Addo was not ready to sack the minister, and so the Speaker must admit the motion.
Iddrisu also appealed to the Majority MPs to support the move to get Ofori-Atta removed from office.
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