Kabila blasts NPP over change in majority leadership

Days ago, news broke that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was going to effect some changes in Parliament, hence dropping names like Alex Afenyo-Markin, Madam Patricia Appiagyei, and others.

The Effutu Member of Parliament, Alex Afenyo-Markin, was reportedly to replace the Suame lawmaker, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who will no longer be a member of the Legislative House, as the Majority Leader.

But the majority on Tuesday, at a press conference, denied any such attempt by the party.

Disclaimer

“We are here to inform you that the publications that are going around are not true, it is false.

“The majority caucus has not made any changes in its leadership, the majority caucus has not contemplated making any changes to its leadership, and we will tell the world and Ghana to ignore any such publication.

“We want to assure you that we have confidence in the leadership and the status quo shall remain, we are aware that upon the nomination of one of the Deputy Whips as a minister, a replacement will be made, and that replacement will be made by the caucus when we have the opportunity and the time to consider the appropriate replacement, this is all the information we have to share”, the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu, popularly called “Joe Wise”, stated categorically.

He reiterated; “The leadership of the Majority has not changed, we have not contemplated changing and we have no intention to effect any change in the leadership of the majority caucus. The Parliament of Ghana has adopted standing orders that place the selection and change or otherwise of leadership in the hands of the caucus and not anybody inside parliament.”

“I am not aware of such thing, nobody has discussed that with the caucus and since nobody has the power to do that outside the caucus there may be rumors and intricacies but we in parliament are not aware of any attempt to remove anybody”, Joe Wise, who is the Member of Parliament for Bekwai, further stressed.

Kabila Scolds NPP

James Kwabena Bomfeh, widely known as “Kabila”, discussing the matter on Peace FM’s Wednesday edition of “Kokrokoo” show, scolded the New Patriotic Party, saying the party has no right to make decisions for the Parliamentarians.

Disclosing the change in the majority leadership was indeed on the party’s National Executive Council’s list of items for discussion in their recent meeting, Kabila wondered how they intended to make the changes without consultation with the Majority leadership.

“The party cannot sit outside Parliament and decide for Members of Parliament. It’s wrong. No matter how much vested your interest is, you need to dialogue with your Members in Parliament,”  he blamed the NPP for the conflict and advised them, stressing that “the idea about MPs that they are representing their parties is not correct. They represent constituencies; of course, they run on the ticket of parties.”