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Hemang Lower Denkyira Member of Parliament has asked Ghanaians not to pay attention to videos circulating on social media, suggesting that he did not vote for Professor Mike Oquaye as Speaker of the House.
According to Bright Wireko-Brobby, the comment accompanying the video is misleading, adding that it points to it as the cause of the rejected ballot that was found while the votes were being counted.
“Nothing could be further from the truth. It is a fabrication, a distortion of the events that unfolded and can be considered a contempt of Parliament.”
“In the first place, I think that statement that I did not cast my vote as narrated in the video could not be true because all the votes were cast,” he added.
Mr. Wireko-Brobby added that 4 people can also attest to the fact that they voted for Professor Mike Oquaye to be the Speaker of the 8th Parliament.
His statement comes just a day after MPs voted Alban Sumana Bagbin as Speaker of the House.
He won a chaotic and highly contested secret ballot in the House of Parliament on Thursday against former president, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye.
Bagbin, one of the longest serving MPs, won 138 votes against his 136 predecessors and one legislator did not vote. Since both the NPP and the NDC have 137 members each in parliament, it is claimed that two members of the NPP voted for Alban Bagbin, the choice of the NDC.
Bagbin makes history as the first Speaker of Parliament who is not elected by the ruling party.
Wireko-Brobby explained that former Speaker of Parliament Mike Ocquaye has shown during his time that he was compassionate and competent in handling the affairs of the House.
He added that he greatly admired him as the best person to run the affairs of the 8th Parliament “that’s why I voted for him.”
“I am still baffled that someone wants to fabricate such blatant lies against me. Let’s not allow such lies to flourish. Our party will rise from these difficult moments. Long live the Parliament of Ghana and long live the New Patriotic Party ”.
Read their statement below:
I was struck by a video with misleading comments on social media about Thursday’s vote in parliament for a president.
The video and commentary are intended to give the impression that as soon as I took the ballot, I went straight to putting the ballot in the ballot box without marking my choice, and that I may be the source of the rejected ballot. Nothing can be further from the truth.
It is a fabrication, a distortion of the events that unfolded and can be considered dismissive of parliament. Parliament’s Regulation 29 (h) is categorical in the sense that the publication of false, perverted, misleading, distorted, fabricated or scandalous reports, books or libels that reflect the proceedings in Parliament constitute a violation of privilege or contempt of Parliament .
First of all, I think that statement that I did not vote as narrated in the video could not be true because all the votes were cast. Second, for the record, I voted for Professor Mike Ocquaye. And there are at least 4 different members of parliament who can testify to this.
As this attached video of my vote shows that was live on UTV, I was the last, but three, voter to be called. I am the one in the blue dress with a white mask in the video. When I got up from my seat, I picked up a pen from Ayawaso Central MP Hon. Henry Quartey.
Then I walked to pick up my ballot. As I walked to the podium, I slowed down and paid special attention to the names of the two people on the ballot. As I climbed the stairs to the podium, I slowed down further and used the pen I took from Hon. Henry Quartey to mark Prof. Mike Ocquaye as my choice.
Not everyone who voted actually used the voting booth to sit in it before marking their election. Several NDC and NPP MPs like myself, who had pens in our hands, simply went ahead to dial after picking up the ballot and then went upstairs to drop it in the ballot box.
Of course, we did not have to write the names of the people on the ballot. All we had to do was dial, a process that took me less than 5 seconds as I made it to the podium.
Professor Mike Ocquaye has shown us over the past four years that he is a compassionate, loving, and competent handler of household affairs. And I have great admiration for him as the best person to run the affairs of this Parliament, which is why I voted for him.
Ignore rumors that I did not vote for him and ignore rumors that I did not mark the ballot. I voted for Professor Mike Ocquaye.
I’m still baffled that someone wants to make up such blatant lies against me. Let’s not allow such lies to flourish. Our party will rise from these difficult moments. Long live the Parliament of Ghana and long live the New Patriotic Party.
Signed
Glossy Wireko-Brobby
MP, Hemang Lower Denkyira
