Minority accuses Bagbin of parliamentary bullying over Jinapor’s ejection

The Minority in Parliament has accused Speaker Alban Bagbin of parliamentary bullying following his decision to eject Damongo MP Samuel Abu Jinapor from the chamber, arguing that the action was excessive after the lawmaker had withdrawn his controversial statement.

The caucus maintains that Mr Jinapor had complied with the Speaker’s demand to retract his allegation that diplomatic passports were being sold for about $50,000, yet the order for him to leave the chamber remained in force.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, November 4, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin said the Damongo MP had expressly withdrawn the allegation after being asked to clarify his remarks.

He argued that the withdrawal should have brought the matter to a close and allowed parliamentary business to continue without further confrontation.

“Upon clarification, he expressly stated, 'Mr Speaker, I withdraw.' He repeated that withdrawal. Yet the direction that he leaves the chamber was maintained. We, the Minority, consider that response disproportionate and, in its effect, an act of parliamentary bullying,” he stated.

Despite the Speaker’s action, Mr Afenyo-Markin said the Minority, through its Foreign Affairs Caucus, intended to present evidence to support concerns surrounding the alleged sale and procurement of diplomatic and service passports.

He said the material available to the caucus pointed to possible cases of false representation and impersonation in the process of obtaining the travel documents through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“There is supporting material which, in our assessment, raises serious concerns about false representations and apparent impersonation in procuring diplomatic or service passports through the Foreign Ministry,” he said.

The Minority Leader questioned the appropriate platform for raising such concerns if Parliament was unwilling to accommodate scrutiny of matters relating to the issuance and possible abuse of diplomatic passports.