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Even Asamoah Gyan is no more a captain - Spio Garbrah tells Haruna Iddrissu’s supporters

A leading member of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Ekwow Spio Garbrah has urged the supporters of the former leaders of the party’s caucus in parliament to remain calm, saying rioting and issuing threats are overreactions to the reshuffle.

Dr. Spio Garbrah, Minister of Trade and Industry

According to him, removing their Members of Parliament from the front bench in the legislative house does not render them useless or disadvantage them in any way.

“Some of them believe that when their MP is in a position it inures to their advantage but they need to think about the future of the party.

“Asamoah Gyan does not play football any longer. He is no longer team captain; does it mean someone has done him something wrong. There comes at a time when there needs to be changes in position. If you are in a team and the coach rings changes, it doesn’t mean the manager is against you. It just means the manager wants the progress of the team,” he said in an interview with Sompa FM.

The former Trade and Industry Minister made specific reference to the removed Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, saying his constituents have misconstrued the reasoning behind the reshuffle.

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“The people from the North will claim that they’ve lost some position but our flagbearer for the past ten years is from the north. The Voltarians have not complained about it. There have been no complaints from the Western and Ashanti caucus so they need to understand that it's just time.

“The Council of Elders chairman is from the North as well, so they are well represented. Losing one person doesn’t change anything. He is still in Parliament so we can use his experience,” he added.

The NDC’s decision to reshuffle its leadership in the legislative house, which became public on Tuesday, January 24, has been duly communicated to the speaker, Alban Bagbin through a letter, and the outgoing leaders have equally been informed about the change.

Haruna Iddrisu, Member of Parliament for Tamale-South who was the NDC’s Minority Leader has been replaced by Cassiel Ato Forson, MP for Ajumako Enyan Esiam. James Klutsey Avezi, MP for Ketu-North who was his deputy has also been replaced by Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembele Constituency, while Kwame Governs Agbodza, MP for Adaklu Constituency replaces Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, MP for Asawase in the Ashanti Region as the Chief Whip.

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However, Ahmed Ibrahim and Comfort Doyo-Ghansah First and Second deputy Whips respectively have maintained their positions.

The reshuffle has sparked angry reactions among some NDC lawmakers who say they have not been consulted, and that they have not complained to the party that they are not comfortable with the old leadership.

No fewer than 44 MPs signed a petition to reject the decision of the party, describing it as unfair and unpopular while about 80 MPs have also signed another to throw their weight behind the party’s decision.

Aside from the lawmakers themselves, the supporters of the removed MPs have also been protesting the reshuffle, calling for its reversal.

Meanwhile, the NDC, led by its chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia and General Secretary, Fiifi Kwetey maintains that the necessary consultations had been done before the decision was taken, so it will not be reversed.

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