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As we approach midnight on January 6, 2021; I remember the famous edict of Karl Marx: “history repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.”
It is quite fascinating to note that the only time since the beginning of the Fourth Republic that two people were nominated for the position of Honorable Spokesperson by both the NDC and the NPP at the same time was in 2005 when John Dramani Mahama and Nana Akufo-Addo were members of the august house.
15 years later, these two who would later ascend to the presidency are more likely to lead their respective sides to repeat the historical development of January 7, 2005, although this time from outside the camera and with more competitive numbers.
It is also intriguing to note that the two NDC MPs who respectively proposed and supported the nomination of the NPP stalwart, Rt. Hon. Peter Ala Adjetey, that is, Mr. ASK Bagbin and Mr. EKD Adjaho, are in the reckoning today to be nominated when history repeats itself in a few days.
It should be remembered that the composition of the then 230-seat Fourth Parliament was: NPP – 128, NDC – 94, PNC – 4, CPP – 3 and an independent member.
The official results for the Spokesperson election declared by the Secretary of Parliament, Mr. KEK Tachie at 11:30 am on January 7, 2005 were: Mr. Ebenezer Sakyi Hughes 134 while Mr. Peter Ala Adjetey obtained 96 votes.
Note that in the subsequent race for the second vice president, there is no need to remind readers that the NPP had chosen to punish the NDC ironically because the NDC had endorsed former NPP national president Peter Ala Adjetey for the post of President.
So, NPP’s Alhaji Malik Al-Hassan Yakubu got 135 votes (one more vote than President Sakyi Hughes) and NDC’s Mr. Ken Dzirasah got 94 votes (two votes less than Peter Ala Adjetey received).
This observation is worth highlighting to remember that parliamentarians are not always robots, nor are they perpetually enslaved to the whim and whim of their political parties, as many analysts have described.
Article 104 (4) of the 1992 Constitution and Permanent Decree 9 (1) require that the election of the Spokesperson be carried out by secret ballot.
It is absolutely imperative that this constitutional requirement is strictly adhered to to allow the deputies of the VIII Parliament to vote freely and in accordance with their conscience.
We must all begin a vigorous campaign to insist that the secret ballot rule be religiously respected.
Elected parliamentarians in good standing must begin to send a clear message to those conspiring to violate Article 104 (4) and Order 9 (1) by seeking to inspect the ballots of parliamentarians in their respective assemblies, ostensibly on behalf of sports fans. party, as has happened recently. times, that their maneuvers will be fiercely resisted.
It is my hope that the current Secretary of Parliament, Mr. Cyril Nsiah, a man for whom I have enormous respect, will ensure that the sanctity of the Ghanaian Constitution and the Rules of Parliament are resolutely upheld.
While we stand firm to protect the majority of the NDC in Parliament, which is the true will of the sovereign people of Ghana and without prejudice to future legitimate actions on the multiple discredited presidential statements of the EC, I can only wish everyone Presidential hopefuls from both sides of the aisle had the best of luck.
Special greetings of the season.
