The National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) yesterday suspended its planned arrest of Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, Member of Parliament for Assin South, following an intervention by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, former Member of Parliament for Odododiodio and National Coordinator for the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP), revealed that Afenyo-Markin appealed to National Security to allow him to present Fordjour at their office on April 11, which led to the operation being called off.
He said “Afenyo-Markin yesterday pleaded that he will present Ntim Fordjour today at 10 a.m.
“That is what led to the abrogation of the operation. Other than that, all of them would have spent the night in his house and held a vigil to prevent the National Security from exercising their duty. And because we are a listening government, we allowed and accepted his plea”.
The attempted arrest was in response to Fordjour’s allegations of suspicious flights at Kotoka International Airport, possibly linked to drug trafficking and money laundering.
Vanderpuye chastised the Minority’s actions at Fordjour’s residence as unnecessary and theatrical.
In an interview with Citi TV, he said “What happened yesterday was a drama because the Minority Leader asked him whether he has not agreed with government officials on how to exercise this right. He had an agreement with our people that at any point in time, any of his people are needed, he will voluntarily present them”.
He, however, indicated that the decision to suspend the arrest reflects a delicate balance between political maneuvering and the rule of law.
Vanderpuye stressed“What happened yesterday is not news. The Member of Parliament was not in Parliament as the operation was going on. The invitation through the Speaker is only when there is an invitation.
“The fact that you are a Member of Parliament does not absolve you from being arrested, but it is only a privilege that you have and that privilege is only exercised through the Speaker,” he explained.
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