I Was Thrown into a Car Boot – Former NDC MP,Nii Lantey Vanderpuye
Former Member of Parliament for Odododiodio, Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, has spoken out in support of the recent attempted arrest of Assin South MP John Ntim Fordjour, describing it as lawful and not in violation of parliamentary privileges.
His remarks follow a dramatic incident on April 9, 2025 in which about 20 operatives from the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) stormed the residence of Ntim Fordjour to arrest him. The MP is being investigated in connection with claims he made about two alleged drug-trafficking flights that reportedly landed in Ghana.
The attempted arrest was met with swift resistance from fellow New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament executives, and supporters who physically gathered at the scene to block the operation. The action has since sparked political controversy with several NPP figures including former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia condemning the move and cautioning President John Mahama against what they describe as political intimidation.
However in an interview on Channel One TV, Mr. Vanderpuye offered a different perspective arguing that the arrest attempt was not a breach of the law.
I was handcuffed and put in the boot of a car as a sitting Member of Parliament on 7th December 2020. I was dumped at the regional police command and later found out I had collapsed. I only regained consciousness about seven hours later, Vanderpuye recalled referencing alleged abuse he suffered during the 2020 elections while the NPP was in power.
He further claimed that dozens of his party agents were arrested with some still facing legal battles while those responsible for violent acts at the time remain unpunished.
Responding directly to critics who claim the attempted arrest of Ntim Fordjour breached parliamentary privilege, Vanderpuye stated:
The Honourable Member of Parliament is not in Parliament at this moment in time. The invitation to the Speaker only applies when there is a parliamentary sitting. The fact that you are an MP does not absolve you from being arrested.
He emphasized that parliamentary privilege does not equate to immunity from legal accountability noting that due process must be followed when MPs are implicated in criminal matters.
When you commit a crime it’s only a privilege that you have and that privilege is exercised through the Speaker, he added.
Meanwhile political observers continue to monitor the situation closely as tensions rise between the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition NPP in the lead-up to the 2025 general elections.
This development adds to the growing political discourse around the balance between security enforcement, parliamentary privilege, and democratic accountability in Ghana.