With just a few minutes left for the 7th Parliament to expire the house has been thrown into chaos with what appears to be a turf war between the Members of Parliament elect.
Cedidollar.com can report that Ursula Owusu, NPP MP for Ablekuma West broke ranks with her colleagues and opted to sit on right hand side of the Speaker, dominated by the NDC MPs.
That angered some of the NDC MPs who decided to forcefully eject her from the seat. John Jinapor, Alhaji A.B.A Fuseini on the NDC side, were captured furiously trying to force her out of the seat so she would join her colleagues who were seated on the left side of the Speaker.
In the end, Ursula Owusu Ekuful was pushed to the ground.
According to Joy News Parliamentary correspondent Elton John Brobbey, who is present on the floor of the House, the women caucus of the NPP immediately went to the rescue of their colleague who had been ruffled by the NDC MPs.
It took a few NPP MPs as well to join the fray and after minutes of shoving, shouting, calm was restored but Ursula Owusu Ekuful remained on the seat, with Collins Dauda, an NDC MP seated close to her
Background
The NDC MPs clad in white arrive first and early in Parliament to occupy the right side of the Speaker ostensibly meant for the Majority caucus.
With 137 MPs same as the NPP, the NDC insisted they were the majority side and took off name tags of the NPP on the seats.
According to the Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah leadership had prior knowledge of the trouble the NDC MPs may foment on the floor and so the strategy was to ignore them and allow peace to prevail on the floor.
He said they were not surprised to see the NDC MPs coming early to take over their seats on the Majority side even though the term of the 7th Parliament was still in force.
He likened the position and strategy of the NPP to that of the woman in the story of Biblical King Solomon who decided to allow her rival to have her legitimate son to be taken, only for King Solomon to rule in her favour.
However, it turned out Ursula Owusu Ekuful had other ideas. According to Elton John Brobbey the Ablekuma West MP walked straight to occupy the same seat she occupied in the afternoon insisting the 7th Parliament was still in force and no one could stop her from occupying her legitimate seat.
That triggered the chaos in the house but calm returned minutes later.
At exactly 12 midnight the tenure of the 7th Parliament ended with the 8th Parliament expected to begin.
The Clerk of Parliament has walked onto the floor and will preside over the election of the Speakers of Parliament for the 8th Parliament which is expected to be full of drama.
Cedidollar.com will update you.
