The First Deputy Minority Whip of Parliament, Ahmed Ibrahim, has alleged that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is behind the removal of Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu as the Majority Leader.

According to him, Akufo-Addo caused the removal of Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu as leader of the Majority Caucus of Parliament as punishment for his support of the Promotion of Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill (anti-gay bill).

Speaking in an interview on JoyNews, on March 5, 2024, Ahmed Ibrahim said that the president has been taking reprehensive measures against persons supporting the anti-gay bill.

He indicated that the first person Akufo-Addo punished for his support of the anti-gay bill was the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin.

"You remember this bill has been in this parliament for over three years. The president was doing everything possible to make sure that the bill never saw the light of day. We've gone through intimidations; we've gone through all sorts of things.

"You remember the security architecture of the Speaker was even withdrawn at a point? The Speaker was naked, but he still pursued and said, 'I'm a Catholic and Catholics, we have values and principles,'" the deputy whip said.

He added, "So, the Speaker was the first casualty. The second casualty was the Majority Leader, Honourable Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu. He is a member of the Assemblies of God. And he did not only support (the anti-gay bill), he sponsored a lot of amendments. And when it was clear that there was nothing the president could do, he changed him."

Ahmed Ibrahim, the Member of Parliament for Banda, also slammed President Akufo-Addo for putting on hold his decision on whether he would assent to the anti-gay bill or not.

He said that the president is only coming up with excuses to avoid making a decision on the bill.

"His Excellency, the president's comment about the happenings surrounding the human sexual rights bill is unfortunate. It's unfortunate because this is the president who claimed to the generality of Ghanaians that he was a Christian. The president's excuse now is that he has heard that some people are going to challenge the constitutionality of the bill, and therefore, he's not going to assent to it.

"The president did not say that they sent the thing to the Supreme Court. He said that he has heard that people are going to challenge the constitutionality. Those who brought you and put you there are saying that this is our interest and, therefore, that interest must be pursued," the MP said.

Ahmed Ibrahim made these remarks while reacting to President Akufo-Addo's assurance to the diplomatic community following the brouhaha surrounding the anti-gay bill becoming a law.

President Akufo-Addo, in a statement on Monday, March 4, 2024, indicated that his decision on whether to assent to the anti-gay bill or not will be after all issues around the bill, which is yet to reach his desk, have been resolved.

He noted that his decision on the bill is on hold due to a suit filed by a private citizen challenging its constitutionality.

"I think it will serve little purpose to go, at this stage, into the details of the origin of this proposed law, which is yet to reach my desk. But, suffice it to say, that I have learnt that, today, a challenge has been mounted at the Supreme Court by a concerned citizen to the constitutionality of the proposed legislation," Akufo-Addo said.

BAI/AE

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