Bernard Allotey Jacobs, former Central Regional Chairman of the largest opposition Party, National Democratic Congress (NDC), has said he is inclined to believe that the late Jerry John Rawlings, Founder of the party, has taken the party to his grave due to the lack of direction and recent happenings in the party.
He spoke during a panel discussion, on last Friday’s approval of six ministerial appointees of President Akufo-Addo. According to him, they have done it to Koku Anydoho, Stephen Atubiga and now they are doing it to about 33 Members of Parliament.
“I have been a National Executive member of the party, and I know the history of the party. The young ones coming don’t know how the formation of NDC came about,” Allotey Jacobs said, adding that a civilized party like the NDC are raining curses on one another.
“..They don’t know how the formation of the NDC even came about … we have gentlemen and ladies who have joined the party and you look at them, you listen to what they say and you ask youself, Is NDC not metamorphosing into CPP? Today, Rawlings is dead and gone, the man who formed his party. I am inclined to believe that Flt. Lt. Jerry Rawlings has taken his NDC with him …”
Bernard Allotey Jacobs
He claimed the election of a Leader of Parliament is always done at the National Executive Committee meeting, in the presence of all MPs who vote to elect who they feel can lead them.
“That is how the party is, that is why I am saying there is something wrong somewhere or Flt Lt. Jerry John Rawlings has died with his NDC just like how Nkrumah died with his CPP.”
Bernard Allotey Jacobs
A large number of the Minority in Parliament, last Friday, voted for President Akufo-Addo’s ministerial appointees, despite announcing they will not approve the new Ministers unless the President reduces the size of his government. This act by the NDC MPs has triggered angry reactions from the party’s leadership and Ex-President John Dramani Mahama. They have been labeled “traitors” by their party with some members calling for strict action to be taken against those who defied the order and voted for the new Ministers.
Accusing Your MPs of Taking Bribes To Vote Is An ‘Insult’
Howbeit, James Kwabena Bomfeh, a former acting CPP General Secretary, has slammed the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), for rebuking their Members of Parliament who voted in favour of the six Ministers appointed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The Members of Parliament (MP), both from the majority and minority caucuses, approved all six new Ministers last Friday and following the approval of the ministerial appointees by the NDC MPs, the party and its 2020 Presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama, have expressed diappointment in the MPs.
The NDC MPs who voted for the new Ministers, have been also accused of receiving bribes.
“Unfortunately, Ghanaians were sorely disappointed when several members of the Minority for some parochial and personal interest, voted against the principled position adopted by the party. I am also disappointed. Those responsible for this betrayal must do some serious soul searching and learn to place national interest over personal interest,” Mr. Mahama said in a Facebook post.
“They will not see rest in the money they have taken from Akufo-Addo because they have eaten a curse, they have eaten trouble and they will pay for it,” Mustapha Gbande, NDC Deputy General Secretary, said in an interview and called for “an intense investigation to get names of those who voted against the Minority decision. Such MPs must be taken out of Parliament”.
Reacting to the issue, James Kwabena Bomfeh, also called Kabila, found it insulting for the NDC to reprimand their MPs for objectively exercising their franchise.
To him, the NDC’s bribe allegation does not speak well of their MPs.
“For you to accuse someone of taking a decision because the person has received money, it is to insult the individual and deny the individual of his individuality, to say the person has no mind of his or hers to make decisions.”
James Kwabena Bomfeh
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