No Need To Apologise To Speaker, He’s Given Me The Harshest Punishment Already- Kwaku Afriyie

Having already received the harshest punishment from the Speaker, Kwaku Afriyie believes an apology would be unnecessary, as the severity of the penalty speaks for itself.

Kwaku Afriyie says he doesn’t need to apologize to the Speaker of Parliament because he has already been punished enough. On Monday (22 July), Speaker Alban Bagbin ordered that Afriyie, the MP for Sefwi-Wiawso, be removed from the House for making a comment considered disrespectful.

Afriyie believes that since he has already been given the harshest punishment, which is being kicked out of the House, an apology isn’t necessary. He mentioned that he would only consider apologizing if the punishment were reversed. In an interview on Tuesday (23 July), Afriyie said, “Since I’ve already been punished, I don’t see why I need to apologize. If reversing the punishment is an option, then I might, but I don’t think that will happen, so we’ll move on.”

Afriyie’s comment was made in response to President Akufo-Addo’s nomination of two Supreme Court judges. Speaker Bagbin had asked the House to review these appointments thoroughly. Afriyie felt Bagbin’s reaction was unfair and not within his authority. In his interview, Afriyie emphasized that he does not believe an apology is necessary since the Speaker has already imposed a severe penalty.

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Afriyie expressed that the Speaker’s decision to expel him from the House was excessive and that an apology would not change the situation. He felt that Bagbin’s actions were more about showing authority than addressing the issue fairly. Afriyie believes that since he has been given the maximum punishment, there is no point in apologizing unless the punishment is reconsidered or reversed. He concluded that the matter should now be considered closed and that he will move on from the incident.

Afriyie’s stance reflects his view that the Speaker’s actions were disproportionate. He implies that since he has been expelled, which he considers the most severe consequence, any further apology would be redundant. Afriyie seems to be signaling that he feels the matter should be resolved and not dragged on any further. His focus now appears to be on moving past the incident and not dwelling on it.

Afriyie also suggests that the Speaker’s decision might have been more about making a statement rather than addressing a genuine issue. By expressing his unwillingness to apologize unless the punishment is reconsidered, Afriyie is indicating his frustration with the Speaker’s actions. He seems to believe that any further discussion or apology would not change the outcome or improve the situation, so he prefers to move forward and focus on other matters.

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Afriyie’s refusal to apologize unless the punishment is reversed underscores his belief that the Speaker’s actions were unjust and excessive. He may feel that an apology would not resolve the underlying issue or restore his position. By emphasizing his unwillingness to apologize under the current circumstances, Afriyie is signaling his intention to put the matter behind him and concentrate on his role and responsibilities moving forward, despite the conflict with the Speaker.