A member of the NDC in the Asawase Constituency, Fatiu Salihu, has petitioned the National Democratic Congress in the Ashanti Region to suspend and call to order, the member of Parliament for Asawase constituency, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak for taking legal action against 11 executives of the constituency.
Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka on March 14, sued 11 branch executives in the Asawase constituency.
The defendants are said to have issued a press statement of various defamatory statements which claims that the MP owns 15 stores at the newly built Asawase Market and the MP cannot deny.
The lawmaker indicated “that on or about 10th March 2023 to 11th, defendants issued a Press Statement, which was published, distributed and/or otherwise circulated by the general public and media houses. In the said Press Statement, the Defendants published various defamatory statements of and concerning Plaintiff. These defamatory statements comprise the following:
“a. "If you will recall, a few days ago, the office of the MP Hon. Muntaka Mubarak of Asawase Constituency issued a statement which sought to whitewash the MP after he was exposed for forcibly allocating some 15 stores/sheds to himself at the Asawase Market built by next Flagbearer of NDC and the President of Ghana, H.E. John Dramani Mahama";
“b. "The youth stated categorically that the office of Hon. “Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak as usual is being economical with the truth";” among others.
According to the MP, this defamatory statement meant that he was engaged in public deception, abuse of power and/for corruption for his own personal.
Muntaka is also of the view that the statement made him look like a fraud a liar, and corrupt among others.
Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka is demanding 10 million Ghana cedis for aggravated and exemplary damages and a retraction and unqualified apology by the defendants to be published to all media houses that the defendants caused to publish and circulated or distributed the defamatory materials with the same prominences as the publication made of and concerning plaintiff.
It is based on this that Fatiu Salihu has petitioned the party stating that the accused persons have rallied and campaigned for the MP.
He adds that the MP should have been magnanimous enough to recall the efforts of these individuals towards his continual stay in parliament.
The petition also stated that the MP should have lodged a complaint against these individuals with the Constituency executive Committee for a redress of the matter in contrast to his actions.
"…based on the aforementioned provisions of the NDC constitution, I am of the firm belief that the Hon. Member of Parliament has breached the constitution by suing branch executives he feels aggrieved with.
“ I am of the firm belief that he should have lodged a complaint against these individuals with the Constituency Executive Committee for a redress of the matter in contrast to his action. This suit tends to destabilize the party in the constituency and affect our bid towards retaining the seat.
“I, therefore, pray your committee calls the Hon. MP to order and also met sanctions against him for his unconstitutional behaviour and gross disregard for party structures,” he said in his petition.
Below is the petition
You can also watch this episode of People & Places here:
