I didn’t sponsor a candidate against Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu in 2016 – Gabby

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New Patriotic Party (NPP) stalwart Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko has denied allegations being made by the Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu that he sponsored a losing candidate against him in the lead up to the 2016 elections.

The Suame MP accused Gabby of sponsoring a failed candidate against him in the party’s parliamentary primaries leading to the 2016 elections.

In response, Otchere-Darko said: “I have never sponsored any candidate against the Majority Leader for the Suame seat. I would never do such a thing to a person I considered a strong loyalist even within the NPP.”

Otchere-Darko, the co-founder of the Danquah Institute, also said he has never accused the
Majority Leader of being the mastermind behind NPP lawmakers’ calls for the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to resign.

In a widely circulated news report, the Suame MP said Otchere-Darko has made some unfounded allegations against him.

“From nowhere, we hear Gabby Otchere-Darko on his Asaase Radio accusing me of instigating what was happening, for what? What do I stand to gain from that?

“That Gabby Otchere-Darko, who does he think he is? I serve Akufo-Addo, and I serve the party as well as the government… when we talk about the government itself, what is your locus standi to be accusing me of being an instigator?” Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu told Kumasi-based Sompa Radio over the weekend.

However, in a Facebook post, Otchere-Darko said: “I have said no such thing on Asaase Radio or any other radio station or media house, whether on air or online, either directly or indirectly. Indeed, my position, so far, on this issue in Parliament within the Majority Caucus, has been to deliberately stay away from commenting on it publicly.”

Below is Otchere-Darko’s full Facebook post on Tuesday:

I have listened to excerpts of the interview of Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, on Sompa Radio, claiming I had gone on Asaase Radio to allege that he was the ringleader behind the NPP MPs calling for the resignation of the Finance Minister. He is also quoted in reports of that interview online as saying that I sponsored a failed candidate against him in the NPP parliamentary primaries leading to the 2016 general elections.
I have since sent him a message on this denying same. But, I consider it necessary to also put my side out publicly.

1. I have said no such thing on Asaase Radio or any other radio station or media house, whether on air or online, either directly or indirectly. Indeed, my position, so far, on this issue in Parliament within the Majority Caucus, has been to deliberately stay away from commenting on it publicly.
2. I have never sponsored any candidate against the Majority Leader for the Suame seat. I would never do such a thing to a person I considered a strong loyalist even within the NPP.

The eight-member committee convened by Speaker Alban Bagbin to investigate allegations of conflict of interest and incompetence against Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta started sittings on Tuesday (15 November).

The Minority in Parliament has levelled seven allegations against the finance minister including conflict of interest, fiscal recklessness among others.

The committee is being co-chaired by Dominic Ayine (MP for Bolgatanga East) and KT Hammond (MP for Adansi-Asokwa).

Members from the Majority side include; Patrick Boamah, Andrew Agyapa Mercer (MP for Sekondi) and Kwame Anyimadu Antwi

Members from the Minority include Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings (MP for Korle Klottey), Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP for North Tongu) and Bernard Ahiafor (MP for Akatsi South).

The committee has within seven working days to complete its work and submit a report to the House.

The Minority Caucus on Thursday (10 November) filed a motion for a vote of censure against the minister.

The Speaker’s ruling came after the deputy majority leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, challenged the motion of the Minority on the basis that the Finance Minister would suffer injustice if the House goes ahead with the application.

Afenyo-Markin indicated that the claims by the Minority were criminal in nature upon proper scrutiny and called for a fair hearing for the minister.

He said, “these matters, upon proper scrutiny, are criminal in nature. The minister should be given a fair hearing.”

“If we go ahead with the application we will be doing a lot of injustice to our colleague. If this application is allowed it will be injustice and unfairness, the Minister wouldn’t have been given adequate time to prepare for his defence,” he added.

However, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu said President Akufo-Addo was not ready to sack the minister hence the need for the Speaker to admit the motion.

Iddrisu also appealed to the Majority Members of Parliament to support the move to get the minister removed from office.

Source: Daily Mail GH