A half-hearted apology by Mahama Ayariga, the man found guilty of contempt of Parliament in the infamous bribery scandal, threw the House into complete chaos.
Some members of the House nearly exchanged fisticuffs shortly after the Speaker, Mike Ocquaye, left the chamber after attempts to get an unqualified apology from Ayariga failed.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) lawmaker for Bawku Central Mahama Ayariga was indicted by a 5-member ad hoc committee after he alleged the chairman of the Appointments Committee Joe Osei Owusu was almost used as a conduit by the Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko to bribe members to clear him during his vetting.
Ayariga was found culpable of perjury and has been asked to “render an unqualified apology” to the Appointments Committee’s chairman and the House because according to the fact finding committee, he has “greatly injured” the reputation of Mr. Owusu.
After several protestations, the former Sports Minister stated that “Mr. Speaker if you say I should apologise, I apologise.”
However, right after the Speaker had vacated his seat, there was total chaos in the lawmaking chamber as some members of both sides were captured on national TV in a near-brawl.
It took the intervention of some MPs to calm tempers as the legislator for Ningo Prampram Sam George and his colleague MP for Odododiodoo Nii Lantey Vanderpuije were seen exchanging words with members of the opposite side.
Meanwhile, the Speaker Prof. Mike Oquaye has fixed Friday, March 31, 2017 to rule on the case.
Watch video below:
