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General News of Thursday, 7 January 2021

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

LIVE UPDATES: Election of Speaker of Parliament turns chaotic, Bagbin chosen

There was confusion in Parliament over the election of a Speaker There was confusion in Parliament over the election of a Speaker

The election of Speaker of Parliament for the 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic has been characterized by complete pandemonium as some legislators have put up unparliamentary behavior with the most-talked-about being Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah, who in the full glare of his colleagues and the media, snatched ballot sheets and bolted.

Mr. Ahenkorah, was given a hot chase by some security officers and colleague lawmakers, including Asawase MP Muntaka Mubarak Mohammed, who after getting hold of the Member of Parliament for Tema West hit him multiple times.

Prior to the snatching of the ballot papers, the NDC members were singing and jubilating that their Speaker-nominee Alban Bagbin had won the secret ballots.

The dissolution of the 7th Parliament occurred at midnight for the commencement of processes to elect a Speaker. A motion had been moved in that regard but the NPP argued that there had been a court injunction barring James Gyakye Quayson from holding himself out as a legislator and subjecting himself to be sworn-in as the representative of the people of Assin North hence.

The NDC however argued that Mr. Quayson was yet to be served the writ of injunction.

After more than an hour of debate, Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah, the Clerk of Parliament stated that he will not recognise the MP-elect in the election of Speaker. This decision did not go down well with the NDC MPs who then accused the Clerk of being bias.

Eventually, the MP-elect voted.

We bring you a comprehensive coverage of the event.