Member of Parliament for Wa West, Peter Lanchene Toobu, has launched a blistering attack on his Damongo counterpart, Samuel Abu Jinapor, accusing him of openly disrespecting Speaker Alban Bagbin during the explosive parliamentary confrontation over alleged cash-for-diplomatic-passport deals.
In what appears to be a direct challenge to the Minority’s version of events surrounding the November 3 parliamentary drama, Toobu has suggested that Abu Jinapor was not a victim of the Speaker’s intervention but rather an uncooperative participant who deliberately ignored repeated attempts by Bagbin to save him from further embarrassment.
According to the Wa West MP, the Speaker was not looking to silence Abu Jinapor or suppress his allegations about the alleged sale of diplomatic passports for between $10,000 and $50,000. Rather, Bagbin was giving him an opportunity to withdraw his comments, have them expunged from the record and return to the matter when properly prepared to substantiate his claims.
But Toobu says the Damongo MP would have none of it.
Speaking on The Big Issue on Channel One TV on Saturday, November 7, Toobu accused Abu Jinapor of ignoring the Speaker’s guidance and attempting to embellish his original allegations to generate political and media attention.
“The Speaker wanted to save him,” Toobu insisted, recounting how Bagbin had offered Abu Jinapor the opportunity to reconsider his remarks and return to the debate fully prepared.
In an even more damaging assessment, Toobu described Abu Jinapor’s conduct towards the Speaker as disrespectful, suggesting that the Damongo MP was more interested in creating a media spectacle than exercising the restraint expected of a lawmaker.
He argued that parliamentary proceedings have changed significantly in an era where statements made on the floor are broadcast live, making it even more important for MPs to exercise caution and accept the Speaker’s guidance.
“One thing that is dangerous about this current Parliament is the fact that, in the past, you could expunge things from the record and the Hansard would not capture it and that ends it, but today, it is live, so the Speaker was guiding him,” Toobu stated.
He further alleged that Abu Jinapor’s intention was to embellish his original statement, create content out of the confrontation and spin the incident into the media domain.
The comments represent a significant political counterpunch to the Minority caucus, which staged a walkout in protest after Bagbin ordered Abu Jinapor out of the Chamber.
But Toobu’s account raises an uncomfortable question for the Minority: was Abu Jinapor genuinely interested in pursuing the diplomatic passport allegations through parliamentary procedure, or did the confrontation become more important than the evidence needed to support his claims?
For a former Attorney-General and experienced parliamentarian, the expectation of restraint, respect for parliamentary authority and the ability to substantiate serious allegations should hardly be negotiable.
And while the controversy over alleged diplomatic passport sales remains unresolved, Toobu has made his position unmistakably clear: Abu Jinapor had an opportunity to exercise restraint, but allegedly chose confrontation instead.
