Some deep rooted source in the NDC close to OnuaOnline has disclosed exclusively to us that the outcome of the voting on the ministerial approval in Parliament last Friday was partly due to shirking of responsibility by the new leadership of the Minority caucus.
Leadership of the NDC and the Minority caucus in Parliament assured Ghanaians through series of press conferences that they were going to reject the new ministerial nominees made by President Akufo-Addo.
With two Majority MPs and one Minority absent on Friday, the two caucuses were left with 136 members who were to confirm the appointees or otherwise.
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But after the polls, all six nominees got approved with at least 30 members breaking their rank from the Minority to cast a ‘Yes’ vote for the approval.
Our source says the development, which according to John Dramani Mahama, a flagbearer hopeful for the party, w as caused by people’s personal and parochial interest
According to our source, the “inexperienced leadership” forfeited their primary responsibility of whipping the members of the party in line which did not go well with some of the lawmakers.
They left that responsibility for the party to rather do it per the information from our source.
This means there was no proper coordination in whipping the MPs in line, a situation among others the National Executive Council of the party would be launching an investigation into.
Meanwhile, on TV3’s The KeyPoints Saturday, March 25, Member of Parliament for Cape Coast South, George Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, outlined three reasons he believes constituted the outcome.
The former deputy minister of Finance said some of his colleagues shifted camp because of greed. He said they were bribed. The MP added sabotage and friendship as part of the reasons for the outcome.
According to him, the sabotage was not carried on the personalities of the individuals fronting the caucus leadership but rather the principle that was breached in choosing the new leadership for the caucus.
“I’m not suggesting the old leaders played the lead to sabotage but some who supported. Some have moved on but I believe there are still people who were not happy with events and felt that they should punish the party. It was a clear undermining of Ato Forson’s leadership to punish the Chair of the party, Asiedu Nketia,” he explained further.
For his second reason, the Cape Coast South MP said “greediness on the part of some of our MPs. There are some who are more interested in enriching themselves than serving the interest of the caucus.”
READ ALSO: Some NDC MPs break rank to confirm new ministerial nominees despite rejection threats
When asked if he meant some of his colleagues took bribes, he said “absolutely, no doubt” explaining that the Minority leadership had told him some of the Majority leadership had confidently told them of some number of votes they were going to get from the NDC MPs prior to the voting.
The MP also indicated the relationship between the appointees and some members of the Minority caucus influenced the voting pattern despite the party’s directive to whip all members along one line.
By Felix Anim-Appau|Onuaonline.com
