A Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mustapha Gbande, has denied threatening the life of the Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
The NPP caucus in Parliament, during a press conference on Thursday, February 13, accused Mr. Gbande of vowing to “sacrifice” the Effutu MP during a live interview.
The caucus described as selective the decision by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) to invite its Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, for allegedly inciting NPP supporters against the NDC in the Ablekuma North parliamentary dispute while ignoring Mustapha Gbande’s supposed comment.
However, speaking on Accra-based Joy News’ The Pulse on the same day, Mr. Gbande said his comments were taken out of context.
He explained that he was reacting to the posturing of the Minority Leader during the Appointments Committee proceedings, where he advised Mr. Afenyo-Markin not to allow himself to be used by his party leadership because, if he were dragged before a court for wrongdoing, they (NPP) would abandon him.
“I’m shocked. I’m quite surprised. I’ve never said that, and I’ve never conceived any intention to take human blood for political expediency. It’s not my way. It’s not my style. But hey, I believe that whoever calls for equity must come with clean hands.
“I commented on the posturing of Hon. Afenyo-Markin in Parliament, to the extent that I questioned his stance on equity. While he portrays himself as clean, his actions suggest otherwise. The interviewer said he has his part’s support, and I explained that sometimes party leadership urges you on to do wrong, but when you are held accountable, they abandon you,” he explained.
Mr. Gbande further stated: “I meant that if party leadership pushes you to take actions that are wrong, when the system closes in on you, they will abandon you. That’s what I meant. The clean ones will stay away, leaving the individual who is not clean to be singled out and sacrificed.”
