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Former Member of Parliament for Odododiodio, Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, has justified the attempted arrest of the MP for Assin South, John Ntim Fordjour, by operatives of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB).
According to Vanderpuye, the previous administration of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) harassed and abused him during election-related violence in 2020, despite his position as a sitting MP.
On Wednesday, 9 April, about 20 operatives from the NIB stormed Mr Ntim Fordjour’s residence to arrest him in connection with his allegations involving two suspicious drug-trafficking flights in the country.
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The development was immediately met with angry reactions from NPP MPs, national executives, and supporters, who gathered at the lawmaker’s house to prevent the arrest.
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However, reacting to the incident in an interview on Channel One TV, Mr Vanderpuye stated that the NIB’s actions were in line with due process and did not breach the lawmaker’s parliamentary privileges.
He argued:
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I was handcuffed and put in the boot of a car as a sitting member of Parliament on 7 December 2020 and dumped at the regional police command. I collapsed; I don’t know what happened until seven hours later.
Fifty-two of my officials, my party officials, were arrested. My polling agent was shot and killed. Up to today, five years down the line, my boys are still in court, while those who did the shooting are walking free.
He added:
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The honourable Member of Parliament is not in Parliament at this moment in time. The invitation to the Speaker only applies when there is a parliamentary sitting. The fact that you are an MP does not absolve you from being arrested.
When you commit a crime, it’s only a privilege that you have, and that privilege is exercised through the Speaker.
Meanwhile, the incident has been condemned by several members of the NPP, including former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who has cautioned President John Mahama against intimidating political opponents.