NDC divided over whether Muntaka should resign as Chief Whip

The Eastern Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Bismark Tawiah Boateng, has called on Muntaka Mubarak to “give up the Minority Chief Whip position for another person” over his stance on the alleged bribery scandal in Parliament.

“All his other colleagues on the Appointments Committee, apart from the Minority Leader, assert that the money he brought them is bribe, how can he turn round and take money from Hon. Agyarko who at his vetting described President Mahama as a corrupt person?” he quizzed in an interview Accra-based Kasapa FM.

But in a sharp rebuttal, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NDC, Yaw Owusu Bimpeh, said the Asawase Constituency MP will not relinquish his role as Minority Chief Whip over the alleged bribery scandal in Parliament.

In a statement, Mr Bimpeh said calls for the resignation over a bribery allegation levelled by colleague MP for Bawku Central, Mr Ayariga against the leadership of the Appointments Committee of parliament and Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko are premature.

He further added: “In our urgent pursuit of party cohesion and reorganisation, we urge members to be circumspect in their public pronouncements on this sensitive subject matter.

“Also, we humbly encourage members to temporarily shelf or defer their public opinions until the committee’s findings are made public.

“This is to avoid possible irreparable damage that our less informed positions might cause one of our own.”

In the wake of the bribery allegation, Muntaka swore in “Allah’s name” that he never took money to influence the NDC MPs on the Appointments Committee.

But Mr Ayariga insisted that Muntaka offered him a bribe and his position has been corroborated by two other NDC MPs.

The bribery Allegation is currently under investigation under the direction of the Speaker of Parliament. Both Ayariga and Muntaka have appeared before the committee.