Ghanaian lawmakers exchange blows as they elect new speaker

There was chaos on the floor of Ghana’s parliament, on Wednesday, when legislators voted to choose the next speaker.

A viral video showed that the disruption started when a member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) tried to seize the ballot box as the election was ongoing.

This resulted in a clash between opposing parties and the lawmakers exchanged blows.

The chaos lasted until security operatives were invited.

After normalcy was restored, Alban Bagbin, former MP from the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the main opposition party, was elected speaker.

Bagbin polled 138 votes to beat Mike Aaron Oquaye, the speaker of the seventh parliament who polled 136 votes with one spoilt ballot from the 275 votes cast.

“There was total breakdown of law and order,” said MP-elect Kwame Twumasi Ampofo of NDC.

“Looking at a member of parliament and a minister of state snatching ballot papers… was so shameful.”

Aba Fuseini, another incoming opposition MP, said: “This is history wrongly being made. We need to bow our heads in shame.

“They thought they could bring in the military to intimidate us but we’ll resist it. The whole world was watching and everyone must be worried. It’s a testimony that Nana Akufo-Addo didn’t win the election.”

President Nana Akufo-Addo, who won the December 7 election, has been sworn in.