A constitutional lawyer, Justice Abdulai, has stated that the four Members of Parliament (MPs) who have announced their intention to run as independent candidates in the upcoming elections face minimal legal options and are at risk of losing their seats.
He emphasized that the constitutional provision regarding the declaration of their seats as vacant is straightforward and allows little room for interpretation.
This clarification comes in light of former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu’s announcement that his party plans to invoke Article 97 (1)(g) of the Constitution.
This article stipulates that an MP must vacate their seat if they leave the political party under which they were elected or if they wish to remain in Parliament as an independent candidate.
During an appearance on Joy FM’s Midday News, Justice Abdulai remarked, “From the precedence that we’ve had in the past and the circumstances in this particular case, I think it will be difficult for anyone to argue an ambiguity into these interpretations of the provisions.”
“I don’t think it will yield any difficulty for the Speaker to declare them persona non-grata in Parliament,” he said on Monday, October 14.
Should the motion be successful, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is poised to become the Majority party in Parliament, increasing its representation from 137 MPs.
This change would significantly alter the current power dynamics, as Parliament presently consists of 138 Majority MPs and 137 Minority MPs.
Despite concerns regarding the timing of this motion—coming less than two months before a general election Mr. Abdulai downplayed fears that it might diminish parliamentary representation.
In an interview with Emefa Apawu, he underscored the necessity for a thorough evaluation of the legislative system, stating, “most people go to parliament not with the intention of serving the house, not with the intention of representing their people, not with the intention of being agents of development and not with the promises of all the development we make.”