The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, says nothing untoward occurred in the passage of the new tax laws regardless of the absence of one of the Majority side MPs due to an accident.
MP for Nanton, Mohammed Hardi Tuferu was involved in an accident on his way to take part in a vote on the new tax bills laid before parliament.
According to the Speaker, he has done nothing untoward by including Mr. Hardi Tuferu in the headcounts that were carried out on the floor of parliament.
“Members who are incapacitated shall upon reporting their incapacity to the Speaker through the Clerk shall be recorded. We have some of our members that are incapacitated and what I did was to ask the Whips to go and physically see them to assess their incapacitation and whether they are of sound mind.”
Despite the unfortunate incident, the legislator was aided by his colleagues in the Majority caucus to partake in the activity before being driven to the hospital.
The Speaker instructed the Whips on both sides of the house to clarify the situation as the MP was being transported to the house in an ambulance.
Following the procedures, Speaker Alban Bagbin explained why the lawmaker’s vote was included in the total.
Outcome of the headcount votes indicated that 136 MPs, representing the Minority caucus voted against the bill whereas 137 Majority caucus MPs voted to approve the new tax bills.