Blaming Bagbin for removal of Haruna Iddrisu ‘makes no sense’ - Group

Some National Democratic Congress Women in the Eastern Region have stood up to allegations swelling in the media that the recent reshuffle of the leadership of the NDC in Parliament was at the instigation of Speaker, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin.

Addressing the media on Thursday, the group of women said that the allegations “lack foundation in common sense.”

“How can anybody blame the Speaker of Parliament for the reshuffle when the reshuffle was done by the leadership of the party and duly signed by our General Secretary, Fiifi Kwetey?” the statement asked.

The press conference was addressed by by madam Emelia Darkwa, of the Osino branch of the party, on behalf of the group.

The statement comes after a pro-New Patriotic Party (NPP) newspaper, published claims that the reshuffle had been instigated by the Speaker of Parliament who was at loggerheads with Haruna Iddrissu and Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak.It would be recalled that the party replaced the current Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, with the Ranking Member on the Finance Committee, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam.

Per a letter dated January 23, 2023, signed by the General Secretary of the NDC, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, and addressed to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the MP for Ellembele, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, is now the Deputy Minority Leader, replacing the current Deputy Minority Leader, Dr James Klutse Avedzi.

The party also named the MP for Adaklu, Kwame Governs Agbodza, as the Minority Whip, to replace the incumbent Minority Whip, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka.Following the reshuffle, the party’s leadership has explained that the move was purposed to ensure that the NDC’s leadership in parliament reflects regional balance.

However, in spite of the explanation, the ruling NPP has been trying to score political points over the move with its newspapers publishing all sorts of wild allegations over the issue.

“Ordinarily, we would not have responded to the claim by the Publisher which is a tabloid of the NPP managed by an NPP fanatic called Obeng Manu, however, because of the timing of the story and in view of the ongoing misunderstanding within the NDC over the issue, we are obliged to dispel the lies against the Hon. Rt. Speaker,” the Eastern NDC Women’s group added.

She pointed out that, “the Chairman of the NDC has already pointed out that those who were reshuffled had not been cooperating with the Speaker in Parliament.”

Secondly, the NDC’s Council of Elders, led by ALHAJI Mahama Iddrisu, has met over the issue and resolved that the decision of the national leadership should stand.

Indeed, we know that even Dr. Yao Obed Asamoah, a respected elder of the party walked out of the meeting because he thought the sense of entitlement of those who have been reshuffled is inappropriate. So how can any body blame the Speaker of Parliament as the mastermind of the reshuffle?”

She reiterated that the letter reshuffling Haruna Iddrisu and the others was signed by the General Secretary while the National Chairman has confirmed that the party’s leadership felt there was the need for regional balance in the party’s leadership.

“All in all, this allegation lacks foundation in commonsense; it should be remembered that if NDC comes into power again, all of its members including those reshuffled, will benefit."