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Ghana’s Minority in Parliament boycotts swearing in of new MP, they called her ‘Bloody Widow’

Members of Parliament (MPs) of the leading opposition party in Ghana, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Tuesday, February 5, 2019, walked out of parliament in protest against the swearing in of Lydia Alhassan, the newly elected Member of Parliament for the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency.

Ghana’s Minority in Parliament boycotts swearing in of new MP, they called her ‘Bloody Widow’

The opposition party who doubles as the minority in parliament said they did not want to associate themselves with the process.

According to the Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak Mohammed, the action was to solidarise with the victims of the violence that occurred at one of the polling centres during the election that gave Lydia Alhassan a seat in the House.

He said, “in to support our comrades and citizens that were unnecessarily hurt and brutally assaulted, I am sorry to say that with your indulgence, our side of the house cannot be here to witness this swearing in.” 

However, the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu went ahead and swore in the new MP.

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The Deputy Majority Leader, Adwoa Sarfo expressed her disappointment at the walkout by the Minority, saying that the swearing in was in line with the Constitution of Ghana.

Dressed in black and red attire, the Minority MPs held placards with writings such as “Bloody Widow” in the House, and the moment proceedings were to begin, they walked out of the House.

They walked for about two kilometres from the Parliament House the Police Headquarters in Accra to demand justice for their colleague, Mr Samuel Nartey George, and other persons who suffered alleged brutalities at a by-election held on Thursday, January 31, 2019.

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Background

Madam Alhassan, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate won the by-election following the death of her husband Mr Emmanuel Kyeremateng Agyarko who was the Member of Parliament for the constituency.

A bye-election was then conducted.

The conduct of the polls was marred by a shooting incident in the residence of Mr Kwasi Delali Brempong, the NDC candidate, which resulted in injuries to 18 persons and assault of an observer at one of the polling stations.

Mr George an MP on the ticket of the NDC, who was observing the elections, was allegedly assaulted by some unidentified security operatives.

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The incident also resulted in the NDC directing its agents to withdraw from the various polling stations.

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