Kwaku Afriyie, the Member of Parliament for Sefwi-Wiawso, has taken a bold stance by refusing to apologize to Speaker Alban Bagbin after being ejected from Parliament for making a disrespectful remark.
The incident occurred when Afriyie criticized Bagbin’s remarks as prejudicial during a discussion about appointing justices to the Supreme Court. As a result, Bagbin ordered Afriyie to be escorted out of the House for what was considered insubordination.
During an interview on the Asaase Breakfast Show with Kwaku Nhyira Addo, Afriyie expressed his belief that the punishment of being ejected from the House was severe enough and that there was no need for an apology. He compared the Speaker’s decision to the “ultimate punishment,” similar to a red card in sports. He questioned the necessity of an apology, stating, “I don’t think an apology is necessary. He has given me the ultimate punishment, which is a red card. He has walked me.”
Afriyie also mentioned that he would only consider an apology if the Speaker retracted the penalty from the official records, known as the Hansard. The Hansard is a verbatim record of what is said in Parliament and plays a crucial role in parliamentary proceedings. However, he doubted that Bagbin would do so, saying, “After you have given me a red card, I don’t think an apology is necessary… or will he also reverse the penalty for the records and from the Hansard that I was not sent away. If that is the compromise, I will, but I don’t think he will, so we move on.”
This standoff highlights the tensions within Ghana’s parliamentary sessions, showcasing the delicate balance between freedom of speech and parliamentary decorum, leading to a heightened sensitivity towards parliamentary decorum and freedom of speech.
Listen to Kwaku Afriyie in the attached audio clip below:
