Division hits NPP MPs over swearing-in boycott

The decision by the New Patriotic (NPP) to boycott today’s investiture of President-elect John Dramani Mahama, is causing ripples in the opposition party.

The Herald over the weekend gathered from Parliament that most of the NPP Members of Parliament (MPs), especially the newly elected ones are complaining that they were not consulted on the boycott of the inaugural ceremony, before the boycott was announced to them.

Also creating cracks amongst the NPP parliamentarians is the nomination of Nana Akufo-Addo’s boy, Joe Ghartey as for the post of Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament instead of the long-serving and more experienced Papa Owusu Ankomah, replacing Prof. Aaron Mike Ocquaye, who ended his legislative career, last Friday.

Meanwhile, the majority National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentarians Congress (NDC) Parliamentarians, led by Mr. Cletus Avoka, interestingly, seem to have turned a blind eye to the threat posed by their minority NPP counterparts to boycott all executive bills coming from President Mahama, whom they consider an illegitimate president, checks absenteeism and the formation of quorum during debates, by granting them (minority NPP) the Second Deputy Speaker position.