Former Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Ocquaye, has expressed strong criticism of the Minority in Parliament regarding their push to remove four MPs who are running as independent candidates in the upcoming December elections.
The Minority is calling for the seats of Agona West MP Cynthia Morrison, Suhum MP Kwadwo Asante, and Amenfi Central MP Peter Yaw Kwakye Ackah to be declared vacant. They are also advocating for the Fomena seat to be declared vacant following the Independent MP’s decision to run under the NPP’s banner for the 2024 elections.
In an interview with Joy News, Prof. Ocquaye, who himself removed an NPP MP from the chamber under similar circumstances four years ago, asserted that the NDC lacks valid grounds to initiate a motion targeting members of the opposition party.
“It’s wrong because the benefit is not his [Haruna Iddrisu] the law doesn’t stand to his inurement. That’s why I talked about the husband and wife. He has no locus because he doesn’t belong to the party involved. Is it you who should say there’s a problem in my house?
“You say I have a problem with my wife and I’m saying I have no problem with my wife, what are you talking about.”
On Tuesday, Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, postponed the ruling on the Minority’s request to declare the seats of four Members of Parliament (MPs) vacant.
The petition, led by former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, seeks to invoke Article 97 (1)(g) of the Constitution. This article states that an MP must vacate their seat if they abandon the political party under which they were elected or if they choose to remain in Parliament as an independent candidate.