The Leader of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) caucus, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, has emphasized that with only three weeks until the election, switching seats with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Parliament would symbolically place the NPP in an opposition stance.
He explained that both spiritually and practically, the seat of the Minority group is not aligned with the NPP, and attempting to occupy it would bring a negative omen for the party.
Afenyo-Markin has vowed not to take up the seats of the NDC caucus adding that, “spiritually it is not even good, we have three weeks to election. I should go and sit on Minority, is that my seat? I won’t dare, I will never do it. That is not my rightful place. I should go to Minority and spiritually make myself a Minority person and bind my colleagues, no we won’t do that. No NPP person will do that”.
The Majority Leader’s remarks come at a time of increasing tension and heightened political sensitivity in Parliament, with the general election fast approaching.
The gridlock in Parliament began after Speaker Alban Bagbin declared four parliamentary seats vacant in accordance with Article 97(g) and (h) of the 1992 Constitution.
This provision stipulates that any Member of Parliament (MP) who intends to run as an independent candidate or contest for a different party in the upcoming 2024 elections must vacate their seat.
The affected MPs were Cynthia Morrison, Kwadjo Asante, Andrew Amoako Asiamah, and Peter Kwakye Ackah. In response to the Speaker’s ruling, Afenyo-Markin filed a case contesting Speaker Alban Bagbin’s unilateral declaration of the seats as vacant.
He argues that Bagbin acted without judicial oversight and bypassed the process of calling by-elections.Central to the case is Bagbin’s interpretation of the 1992 Constitution’s stipulations on parliamentary vacancies.
Bagbin further justified his September 17, 2024, decision, asserting that the MPs in question had breached constitutional requirements, thereby forfeiting their seats.
In response to Afenyo-Markin’s suit, the Supreme Court issued an injunction preventing further actions on the vacated seats until it reached a final judgment.
Speaker Bagbin later filed a motion to challenge this interim ruling, arguing that the injunction obstructed his official duties and asserting that his actions were within his authority to uphold the integrity of Parliament.
The court upheld the injunction, dismissing Bagbin’s appeal to reverse it, which has now set the stage for today’s pivotal judgment on this constitutional dispute.
However in court today, Monday November 11, the Bagbin’s legal team failed to submit the required statement of case and was notably absent from the court proceedings.
This absence has raised concerns, as the Speaker’s representation was expected to be crucial in addressing the legal issues at hand regarding the vacant seats.
Meanwhile, the Attorney-General has expressed strong disapproval of the Speaker’s legal team, particularly criticizing Thaddeus Sory, the Speaker’s lawyer, for his failure to appear in court or submit the necessary documents.
The Attorney-General pointed out that this lack of participation undermines the judicial process.In response, the Attorney-General urged the court to take a firm stance on the matter, warning that such conduct diminishes the authority of the court and could compromise the fairness of the legal proceedings.
With the ruling expected tomorrow, the outcome is highly anticipated, as it will likely have significant implications for parliamentary representation and the interpretation of constitutional responsibilities for public officials.