Majority Chief Whip, Roackson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has refuted claims that he engaged in a physical altercation with former Deputy Minister of Transport and Member of Parliament (MP) for Gushegu, Alhassan Tampuli, during the chaotic vetting session on Thursday, 30th January 2025.
Appearing before the special committee investigating the disturbances in Accra on Monday, 10th February, Dafeamekpor insisted that his actions were aimed at restoring order, not inciting conflict.
“I don’t recall ever holding his dress at all. It would have led to something else because I am also strong enough. If I had held his dress, it would have led to something else. I had my two hands up, he held the front of my fugu this way. I had my hands up and I was exchanging,” he explained.
According to him, he attempted to de-escalate the situation by appealing to Tampuli.
“That was when I was telling him, ‘Oh bro, why do you want us to fight over this? We are lawyers; we are custodians; we don’t do this.’ And eventually, he smiled and let go of the fugu.”
Dafeamekpor further clarified that he was not interested in engaging in any altercation, as it would have disrupted the proceedings.
“If I initiate anything, I will lose the opportunity of having my proceedings continued. So I was interested in having order restored,” he emphasised.
He also disclosed that he intervened to free Tano South MP, Charles Asiedu, from Tampuli’s grip, as he was “practically trapped.”
Dafeamekpor attributed the chaotic scenes to the Minority’s determination to block parliamentary business from proceeding that day.
“They were interested in not getting any business done that day. Perhaps because I had come to take Asiedu out of his grips, he didn’t like the idea. But I am making the point that eventually, he smiled at me and let go of the fugu, so it was not a fight at all,” he reiterated.
