The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Tarkwa-Nsuaem in the Western Region, George Mireku Duker, has narrated his version of events that led to the headline-grabbing brawl with a presidential staffer, Charles Bissue.

The fisticuffs on Monday, September 21, 2020, resulted in a swollen face for Mr Bissue, who is also the Western Regional Secretary of the NPP.

The right middle finger of Mr Duker was also bitten by Mr Bissue.

The brawl occurred at a party meeting that was also attended By National Campaign Manager, Peter Mac Manu and Director of Operations at the Presidency, Lord Commey.

Mr Duker told the Daily Guide newspaper that he had complained to the regional executives that Mr Bissue has been supporting an independent candidate in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency against him in the December 7, 2020, Parliamentary elections.

“So at the meeting, I made the same complaint that there is an independent candidate in Tarkwa who is being supported by some regional executives so we should trash the issue here. After my presentation, I went to sit down,” he recounted.

“But before the meeting came to an end, Lord Commey asked Bissue to react to the issue I raised in three minutes. Bissue went for the microphone and said I used to be his friend but I visited him at his office one day and told him that he should not believe the President and allow people to do galamsey or illegal mining,” Mr Duker alleged.

Mr Duker said, “those present were all surprised at the comment from Mr Bissue because he was pitting me against the President and so Lord Commey went for the microphone and said ‘this is not the issue we want you to discuss’."

Mr Duker said Mr Bissue was asked to sit down and that instead of going to sit on his chair, he was going to where he (Duker) was sitting fuming and threatening to beat him [Duker].

“He was coming to me as he shouted, ‘I will beat you!’ So, my chairman was even asking me to get up because Bissue was coming to me. Lo and behold! Bissue came to me and threw a blow at me and in defence I also threw one at him but my finger went into his mouth and he chewed it," he alleged.

“I had a deep cut at the middle finger of my right hand. I later went to the Jemimah Hospital for some treatment,” Mr Duker said.

Assistant Constituency Secretary of the NPP at Tarkwa Nsuaem, Wisdom Edem Gomashie, has reportedly corroborated the story to the Daily Guide newspaper.

Mr Gomashie also reportedly disclosed to the newspaper that NPP activists in the constituency had even planned to demonstrate against Charles Bissue for supporting an independent candidate against Mr Duker.