ASEPA Petitions Speaker Against Tema West MP For Eating Ballot Paper

Civil Society Organization, Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) has petitioned the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin to probe the conduct of MP for Tema West, Carlos Ahenkorah for his antics on January 6, 2021.

On the day, a tumultuous election to select the next Speaker of Parliament saw Ahenkora snatch a handful of ballot papers and started gulping them down as the Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mohammed gave him a hot chase.

He was eventually caught and pummeled till he vomited the ballot papers.

Based on the embarrassing spectacle, ASEPA handed over a petition to the Speaker during a courtesy and a plea for an investigation and punishment of Ahenkorah.

Mr. Ahenkorah had aimed to scuttle the election after he realized that his party, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP)’s candidate, Prof. Aaron Mike Ocquaye, was losing the election to the NDC’s candidate, current Speaker, Alban Bagbin.

According to ASEPA, the Tema West MP’s conduct was an embarrassment to the Parliamentary and should therefore be probed and if need be, sanctioned.

The petition quoted section 28, 29, 30(c) (g)(k) of the Standing Orders of the House to back its request. It added that the conduct of the Tema West legislator constituted a breach of the privileges of Parliament.

After receiving the petition, the Speaker promised to probe the matter but also used the opportunity to urge more CSOs to get involved in helping Parliament grow closer to the people.

“We want to bring parliament closer to the people and ASEPA finds itself in a very unique position to support the 8th Parliament and help carry the people along,” the Speaker said.