First Deputy Minority Whip, Habib Iddrisu, has criticised President John Dramani Mahama for directing the Majority Leader and Majority Chief Whip to withdraw a Private Member’s Bill seeking to repeal the law establishing the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, December 11, 2025, the MP for Tolon accused the President of overstepping his constitutional bounds and attempting to exert executive control over the legislature.
“Mr Speaker, because of inadequate releases to Parliament and the executive wanting to control Parliament, now the President is dictating to Members of Parliament what bills they should introduce or withdraw,” Mr Iddrisu stated.
“We have the official letter from the Presidency. He has instructed that they should withdraw it. Mr Speaker, the executive has no authority to dictate what happens in Parliament,” he added.
His statement comes on the back of a formal request by President Mahama to Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga and Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor to suspend the introduction of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (Repeal) Bill, 2025.
A statement issued by Presidential Spokesperson and Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, confirmed the directive, explaining that it aligns with the President’s public stance that the OSP should be strengthened rather than abolished.
The President had reiterated this position during a meeting with the National Peace Council on Wednesday, December 10, where he urged the anti-corruption body to aggressively pursue its mandate to restore public trust.