A group called the Alliance for Footsoldiers Advocacy (AFFA) has petitioned the Speaker of Parliament to take disciplinary action against three Members of Parliament (MPs) who allegedly took pictures and videos of their ballots during a recent voting process. The group, which describes itself as a public interest group, claims that the MPs’ actions violate the Constitution and the Standing Orders of Parliament. The MPs in question are Hon. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, MP Tamale Central; Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, MP Ketu South; and Hon. Zenator Agyemang Rawlings, MP Korle Klottey. The voting process in question involved the approval of six ministerial nominees by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The AFFA’s petition states that the MPs in question took their phones to the polling booth and took pictures and videos of their votes, which is against Article 49(1) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 109 of the Standing Orders of Parliament. The group believes that the MPs’ actions could subject Parliament to ridicule and is calling for the MPs to be summoned before the Privileges Committee of Parliament in a televised session to justify why they should not be sanctioned.
The voting process in question occurred after the National Democratic Congress (NDC) issued a directive to its MPs to reject the nominees in demand for a reduction in the size of the current government. However, all six ministerial nominees received overwhelming votes despite the equal numbers on both sides of the House. The outcome of the voting process has led to accusations of treachery being made against the minority MPs. Some MPs have since taken to social media to express their disappointment with the result, while others have shared evidence of their votes to claim their innocence
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