General News of Tuesday, 4 October 2016

Source: kasapafmonline.com

Two ‘feuding’ ministers clash in Walewale

Haruna Iddrisu [R] and Murtala Mohammed Haruna Iddrisu [R] and Murtala Mohammed

The campaign launch of the NDC candidate for Walewale constituency and Northern Regional Minister, Mr. Abubakari Abdallah was momentarily stopped and nearly failed following a renewed feud between Mr. Haruna Iddrisu and Murtala Mohammed.

Haruna Iddrisu is Member of Parliament for the Tamale South constituency and Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, and Murtala Mohammed is Member of Parliament for the Nanton Constituency and Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry.

A quarrel broke at the rally ground after Hon. Haruna accused the party constituency executives of inappropriate conduct.

He was according to sources asked to address the crowd before Mr. Murtala Mohammed, an arrangement he felt was disrespectful.

Relationship between the two party stalwarts has grown cold over the period after the Nanton MP claimed there was a plot by a colleague MP to oust him from parliament.

Hon. Murtala after refusing to name the said MP was later forced by leadership of the party in the region to render an apology for the outburst.

Though he failed to disclose this detractor, political watchers have observed his anger was directed at the Tamale South MP.

The two have since been parallel and seen not attending same events until very recently.

The rift renewed yesterday at Walewale when the raging cabinet minister accused Northern regional minister and his campaign team of “breaking protocol”

The Walewale constituency secretary Mr. Adam Dokurogu confirmed the incident in an interview with Kasapa FM’s Northern Regional correspondent, Elliasu Tanko but said he couldn’t proffer reasons for Mr. Iddrisu outrage.

“I said there was a little misunderstanding between him[Haruna Iddrisu] and Murtala but what happened I can’t tell; only those who were closer could detect it”

Mr. Dokuguru said the constituency executives cannot be blamed for the incident because the party’s regional executives coordinated the event.

“When it happened, it was not constituency executives that was handling the programme: it was the regional executives. I was supposed to do the introduction but I didn’t do because the regional people took over. So if they are accusing us, they are accusing us for nothing. We have not done anything wrong”

The standoff reportedly halted the event for nearly an hour as Mr. Haruna was allegedly heard raging threats and trading swear words.

It took strenuous interventions by the party’s National Organiser, Mr. Kofi Adams and other executives who were present.

The drama left the event battered but it regained momentum after several interventions and limped to an end.