The Member of Parliament for Tema West constituency, Carlos Ahenkorah has apologized for snatching ballot papers during the election of a new Speaker.
Carlos Ahenkorah became the meme on social media when he surprisingly snatched ballot papers from the hands of a Parliamentary official.
In a statement shared on social media, the MP said his actions were for the "grassroots who relied on us in power to survive, the president who needs some peace to run the country and the greater NPP party as a whole because we cannot always allow the NDC to threaten and vilify us"
"I apologize though to my family and friends both far and near who may be affected by my actions. The NPP in me couldn't be controlled. I apologize but I tried!!! he added.
Read his full statement below
Hon CARLOS AHENKORAH WRITES....
My party the NPP of course enjoys a slim majority in parliament courtesy the independent candidate from Fomena. By this arithmetic, the NPP was supposed to occupy the right side of the speaker in the chamber. When we got to parliament, the opposition had occupied our seats. We tried to convince and work things out with them but they declined whilst almost assaulting the Marshal's of parliament. We conceded because of the inauguration ahead of us and sat in their space. Then the clerk of parliament announced that the injuncted assin north mp couldn't vote by virtue of a court order served on him.
After a long heated debate, the ndc still wouldn't yield. Leadership went into conclave and returned with one of the most unfavourable agreements ever. That a clause in the constitution forbids anyone who isn't qualified to vote in parliament to vote. If the injuncted mp elect decides to vote he suffers the consequences afterwards himself. How ridiculous! What if his vote changes the outcome of the elections before he goes to court?
Then we got to voting and the minority claimed they won't allow any whipping, in order words no one can show their vote to their whips after voting. Really?
Then what's the whip system for? Why do we have whips? Since the beginning of the 4th Republic, elections had always been controlled by whips to ensure their members vote on a particular line. It happens everywhere in this world. Asking us not to be whipped sent us all wondering. The npp didn't comply. The clerk ruled that voting could commence after a little back and forth. As the first few npp members voted ,the ndc whip in the person of muntaka attacked an npp member and collected his ballot paper from him because he's shown it to someone. A scuffle ensued and he took the ballot box itself and the ballots inside away. After a long wait, balloting recommenced. This time the same muntaka took the ballot box and run off that someone was showing their ballot whiles John Jinapor and Sam George kick boxed the voting booth. This act happened 3x so leadership had to go into conclave once more. Upon their return they asked us not to show our votes anymore. I Immediately sensed danger especially when during voting we noticed many skirmishes where some opposition members would cross over into the npp voting booth to vote there etc.
Looking at the slim margin between us ,(NPP and NDC)all the ndc had to do was to lure or convince a couple of members of npp and carry the day. So I indicated to leadership the dangers in that ruling. After voting and true to my words, the npp votes counted 136 instead of 138 numbers we had. I wouldn't accept that. The irregularities accompanying the voting from the start were too many which had compromised the voting so much so that I wanted to create a situation for a rerun. Just as my colleague from the other side took the ballot box away on 3 occasions, I also grabbed a few ballot papers before they could be counted so as to force a rerun. It's a very tough situation to have opposition as speaker especially when he's the president in the absence of Nana Addo and his vice not to mention how parliament would function by passing the presidents policies and laws to pave way for development. My colleagues on the majority side couldn't help take advantage of my sacrifices to force a rerun and we'd to settle for an opposition speaker.
I must say i am heart broken and dejected. We've not seen the end of this yet. With this success they would tell us what they want and what they don't in parliament because the whip system has been compromised. This is so sad. I'll die for my party any day.
I did it for the grassroots who relied on us in power to survive, the president who needs some peace to run the country and the greater npp party as a whole because we cannot always allow the ndc to threaten and vilify us. I apologise though to my family and friends both far and near who may be affected by my actions.
The NPP in me couldn't be controlled. I apologize but I tried!!!
Source: Peacefmonline.com
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This man has no shame. It's a big embarrassment to me that he is my MP. I'm sure he went to parliament through vote buying and dubious means like what he did in parliament. He was the same person who was forced to resign for flouting covid 19 protocols. He has no respect for his constituents that is why he apologized to only his family and friends. Everything about them is family and friends. ***barred word*** wolves in sheep's clothing
Please Peace Online. Get your story right. We all watch the event on the television and know what happen. Use your adjective words we'll to describe an element of action from what the NPP members did in the chamber of Parliament which is against the standard procedures in Parliament. Per the standard procedure in Parliament for electing Speaker of the chamber, voting must be conducted secretly. So electing speaker is not one of their usual process where whipping must set in. So please done just received the information just because you are interviewing the person and saying what pleases him. You have to ask tough question to shown them that you the media are the fourth arm of government, and that you report you issues and information to the people of the Republic. Condem his action and tell him that you aspect him to hold up to the rule of engagement in the chamber because the next generations are learning from what they are doing now.
MP, I think what you did was unnecessary and shameful. Leave those thugs to misbehave but not you. Your apology is baseless. Muntaka is a disgrace to Moslems. Honorable indeed.... Tweaa
We the Grassroots appreciates you. Your love for the party is paramount likewise us. Let our voice be heard by the party and President this term around and see how we would work for the success of the party on 2024.Bravo.
see who we have elected. How can am MP think like that (...so that I wanted to create a situation for a rerun..)
Much respect my brother Carlos - more so after reading your erudite piece. As for the so called disgruntled npp mp`s who for want of time now, are pissed off because of long-held grievances, including missed ministerial jobs etc, let them be reminded by what JAK eloquently posted - IT IS PREFERABLE TO BE A MESSENGER IN GOV`T TO A HIGH MINISTER ON THE OPPOSITION BENCHES. Everybody is watching. A word to the wise .........
One of the many attractive post independence speeches of Dr. Kwame Nkruma which was recorded by transatlantic TV in 1957 was, I quote: "That the blackman be given the opportunity to manage his own affaires" Nkrumah went emotionally further by saying that "the African is capable of managing his own affaires" These wonderful sayings of Kwame Nkrumah was what Ghanaians had experinced during the election for a new Speaker of Parliament and the inauguration of the eight Parliament, which Alban Bagbin was elected as speaker of Parliament. The significance of Ghanas Independence is nothing but the ability and capability of Ghanaian politicians to manage the social, political, cultural and economic affaires of the country, if it will even result with ideological and emotional conflicts. Its part of the processes leading to the growth of Ghanas democracy. Thank You
This is appalling and should not go unpunished, if ballot snatchers in general elections are punished then he should also be punished
What does this MP mean by, "I apologize though to my family and friends both far and near who may be affected by my actions. The NPP in me couldn't be controlled…” This statement is irresponsible and not well thought through. I’m not sure that the MP is saying “The NPP in me…” means snatching of ballots. He is only giving his political opponents weapons to attack him and his party.