The Member of Parliament for Afigya Kwabre North, Collins Adomako-Mensah has lambasted the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin accusing him of engaging in selective justice.
His comment comes after the Speaker issued a one-week ultimatum to an unidentified Member of Parliament responsible for the controversial ‘daughter of a murderer’ comment made against the Klottey Korle MP, Zanetor Rawlings to retract the statement and apologize unreservedly to the lawmaker.
He has given the culprit lawmaker one week to voluntarily come forward or face severe consequences.
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, March 4, Mr. Bagbin described the comment as reckless and deeply disturbing, emphasizing that such remarks undermine the dignity and decorum of the House.
He announced the launch of a formal investigation to identify the MP behind the statement and warned that failure to comply with the ultimatum would result in decisive action.
But commenting on the Speaker’s directive during a panel discussion on Peace FM monitored by GhanaWeb, Collins Adomako-Mensah slammed the Speaker urging him not to be discriminatory in enforcing punishments but rather be fair.
“The way I am so angry, I just have to control my temper. We have utmost respect for the Speaker, he is the embodiment of parliament. So when we come out, we want to protect the sanctity of the institution of parliament. What sort of hypocrisy is that? Speaker says he has given who one week to retract and apologize? On the same day, Murtala Mohammed called J.B Danquah a CIA agent and a traitor. The MP who was called a bloody widow has children. The same Speaker Bagbin was the Speaker back then, we had women from the NDC side who rose up and defended this statement about their colleague female MP. But for this, he did not give anyone an ultimatum. Lydia Seyram Alhassan has no blood running through her, she does not have chiefs in her hometown, is that what we are saying? J.B Danquah has no family? A commemorative statement was made on the floor of Parliament by Abuakwa South and the response from the NDC led by Murtala said he is a traitor, a CIA agent. This one, he has not been asked to apologize.”
He continued: “The Speaker must not be discriminatory in his punishment. Who says I am happy with the daughter of a murder comment? I don’t support it. It is the same way I don’t support bloody widow. But you the Speaker when exacting punishment, you must punish everybody. You don’t tell me that somebody has described another person as daughter of a murderer and you’ve given the one who said that one week to retract and apologize, this one, you want to punish but he failed to act on the bloody widow comment. It was this same Speaker in office. People were bold to the extent that Members of Parliament came to the chamber with placard with the inscription ‘bloody widow’. Someone whose husband had died and had been elected as MP, the NDC MPs described her as bloody widow, that one the Speaker saw nothing wrong with it.”
Adomako-Mensah added: “I am saying that this selective justice is wrong. When the Speaker does this he makes many people feel uncomfortable. The same way bloody widow was unnecessary, daughter of a murderer was also unnecessary. I don’t support any of them but the Speaker’s punishment must be fairly given.”
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