Speaker Declares NDC Majority Side, NPP Minority After 4 MPs Vacate Their Seats
- Alban Bagbin, to the chagrin of the NPP side of Parliament, has declared four parliamentary seats vacant
- This was after the Minority petitioned the Speaker urging him to enforce Article 97(1)(g) of the constitution
- Alban Bagbin agreed that the four MPs had no business staying in the house on the ticket of another party
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin, has officially declared four parliamentary seats vacant, following a petition from the Minority side to do so.
The Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) had stated that keeping four MPs who crossed the floor was an affront to Article 97(1)(g) of the 1992 constitution.
Source: Facebook
The four parliamentary seats are the Amenfi Central seat, the Agona West seat, the Fomena seat, and the Suhum seat.
The repercussions of the Speaker’s decision have created an unprecedented situation in parliament.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is currently the minority side whereas the opposition party is the majority side.
The NDC now has 136 MPs in the house whereas the NPP has 135 MPs.
Speaker Bagbin, in delivering his ruling on Thursday, October 17, 2024, stated that the NPP’s argument that Article 97(1)(g) of the 1992 constitution was to only apply to a future parliament is neither here nor there as the wanting MP would have completed his term and probably be reelected.
He also stressed that the arguments posited by the former Speaker of Parliament, Aaron Mike Ocquaye, when he declared the Fomena MP’s seat vacant and his reason for doing so, were not binding on him or any other speaker and thus had no locus on his ruling.
The Speaker also stated that once the MPs have duly presented themselves to the EC to contest their various seats as independent candidates or for a party other than their current one, they have no business occupying their seats in the current parliament.
Chaos follows Speaker’s ruling
Following the Speaker’s declaration that the four seats be vacated immediately, the NPP side of the house stood up in defiance.
They demanded that the Speaker rescind his decision. However, Alban Bagbin was not budging.
Despite several attempts to get the new minority MPs to quiet down and sit so that the business of parliament could continue, they staged a walkout.
They said they would not return to the house until the Speaker rescinded his decision. As they filed out of the chamber, the new-majority side of the house hooted at them.
NPP says it will engage Cynthia Morrison
YEN.com.gh reported that the NPP has announced its decision to engage the MP for Agona West, Cynthia Morrison.
This follows her decision to quit the ruling party and run as an independent candidate in the 2024 elections.
The NPP's general secretary said bringing independents back into the fold was vital to winning the Ghanaian polls.
Proofread by Bruce Douglas, senior copy editor at YEN.com.gh
New feature: Сheck out news that is picked for YOU ➡️ click on “Recommended for you” and enjoy!
Source: YEN.com.gh
