NPP should have reported MP's bribery allegation to police - Inusah Fuseini

Ghanaian

Former Ranking Member of the Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament, Inusah Fuseini, has criticized the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for defending Professor Kingsley Nyarko's alleged bribery of Electoral Commission (EC) temporary staff during the Ejisu by-election.

In a statement issued on Thursday, May 2, the NPP MP expressed disappointment, stating that the EC "has over

Read full articlethe years built an image of credibility, integrity, honesty and discipline, and I will not do anything untoward to erode such virtues."

Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story on May 2, Mr Fuseini argued that the party should have reported the matter to the police instead of rushing to defend the MP’s actions.

He pointed out that the NPP's stance contradicted the fundamental principles of democracy and exacerbated the problem of the commercialization of politics.

"I think what the NPP should have done was to refer him to the police and not defend him. That is the first step because that goes to the core of our democracy. We are all bemoaning the monetisation of our politics.

"Now there is an attempt to corrupt public officers in the performance of their duties in a public election.

"That is dangerous. That is very dangerous. So NPP itself ought to have reported the conduct of the Member of Parliament of Kwadaso to the Police for investigation,” he stated.

The former legislator further elaborated that Professor Nyarko’s alleged involvement in the bribery incident tarnished his reputation as a Parliamentarian, thereby justifying potential sanctions by the House.

"Again, this is a Member of Parliament. The ethics of a Member of Parliament that I know of forbids a Member of Parliament from bringing the office of Parliament into disrepute.

"For a Member of Parliament to be aware that you have that ethics in Parliament and boldly stands before election officers and give them an envelope containing money on the pretence that he is feeding them is totally against the ethics of Parliament and I think that Parliament itself can invoke the standing orders of Parliament against the Member of Parliament for bringing the office of Parliament into disrepute,” he asserted.

In a widely circulated video during the Ejisu by-election on Tuesday, Dr Nyarko was seen approaching the table and placing an envelope on the table manned by the presiding Officer and the Ballot Issuer.

The EC subsequently removed the two officials at the Fumesua Pentecost Church Polling Station, stating that it had initiated investigations into the matter.