MPs to face privileges committee over “Bloody Widow” placards

First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei Owusu today charged the clerk of Parliament to review the footages from the swearing-in of Lydia Alhassan and identify the individual MPs who held the “bloody widow” tag so they face the Privileges Committee of Parliament.

While Lydia Alhassan was being sworn into office as MP on Tuesday, the NDC MPs walked out of the house flinging placards labeled “bloody widow.”

Speaker earlier on asked the Minority, NDC MPs to apologise for their conduct. The MPs, said they would not apologise for their action and rather called for a review of the ruling.

Lydia Alhassan who adds up to the 38 female MP’s in parliament is the wife of the late Emmanuel Agyarko, the late MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon who passed on in November 2018. His widow, Lydia Alhassan contested and won the seat.

But the minority caucus is unhappy because of the violence that characterized the supposed democratic exercise and wants a probe into the matter. The minority had also demanded that the entire results be annulled because of the disturbances.

Deputy Minority leader James Avedzi has however noted that the use of placards in the House was not new.

According to him, the use of placards is not always sanctioned by the leadership of the Minority and it would be difficult to identify the persons who carried the placards bearing the “Bloody Widow,” so the leadership of the Minority would not apologise.

In the ensuing tension, Tamale North MP Alhassan Suhuyini was ordered out of the House “for making noise” during the session.

 “Hon member for Tamale North, please leave the House. Marshall, ensure he leaves the house” – Joe Osei Owusu is quoted as saying.

By: Apt News Desk