NPP MP Pleads With Haruna Iddrisu Not To Compel MPs To Vacate Their Seats After Crossing Carpets

• The Mpraeso MP, Davis Opoku Ansah, has disagreed with the Minority's decision to compel MPs who have crossed carpets to vacate their parliamentary seats
• He said removing them from parliament so close to election would deny their constiuencies representation in parliament
• He pleaded with Haruna Iddrisu and the Minority not to trigger Article 97(1)(g) of the constitution

Davis Opoku Ansah, the Member of Parliament for Mpraeso, has dismissed calls urging New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs who are contesting as independent candidates to vacate their parliamentary seats.

This follows the former Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, announcing the minority side’s decision to invoke Article 97(1)(g) of the constitution to compel the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, to declare those seats vacant.

Article 97(1)(g) of the constitution states that MPs who resign from their party or run as independents may forfeit their seats in parliament.

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However, reacting to Haruna Iddrisu’s assertion, Davis Opoku Ansah stated that compelling the Speaker to declare those seats vacant would be unconstitutional.

He argued that the NPP MPs who have decided to run as independent candidates were duly elected as MPs by their various constituencies and thus those constituencies cannot be denied representation in parliament by this action.

He urged Haruna Iddrisu and the NDC not to trigger the clause as it could cause significant problems for the already hung parliament.

In 2020, the same clause was triggered by the NPP side in parliament against the Fomena MP who had decided to run as an independent candidate.

Reacting to that, Davis said he disagreed with his party’s position and the subsequent expulsion of the Fomena MP Andrew Asiamoah Amoako from parliament.

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MPs to be affected by Article 97(1)(G)

Four MPs will be affected if the NDC goes ahead with their action.

The four MPs include the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament and MP for Fomena, Andrew Asiamah Amoako who has decided to contest for the Fomena seat on the ticket of the NPP once again.

Cynthia Mamle Morison of Agona West and Kwadwo Asante of Suhum who have both decided to run as independent candidates in the 2024 parliamentary elections.

The fourth MP is an NDC member who has decided to go independent in the 2024 parliamentary elections.

Cynthia Morrison faces legal hurdle

YEN.com.gh reported that Cynthia Morrison, an independent parliamentary aspirant in the Agona West election, is being blocked from participating in the election.

Morrison is currently a New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament but is breaking ranks for the election.

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Morrison lost her bid to represent the NPP after finishing 5th with 152 votes in the constituency's parliamentary primary.

Proofread by Berlinda Entsie, journalist and copy editor at YEN.com.gh

Source: YEN.com.gh