Martin Kpebu Urges Bagbin To Resist Supreme Court's Ruling On Vacant Seats Controversy

• Martin Kpebu, a private legal practitioner, has urged the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, to resist the Supreme Court's decision
• The court had ruled in favour of Majority leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, and overturned the vacating of four parliamentary seats
• According to Martin Kpebu, the Supreme Court was actually overreaching its jurisdiction by interfering in parliamentary business

Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu said Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, must resist the Supreme Court’s decision on the four vacant seats controversy.

The Supreme Court, in a 5-2 majority led by Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo, overturned a decision by the Speaker to declare four parliamentary seats vacant following their decision to switch party affiliations in the 2024 general elections.

The four are Peter Kwakye-Ackah of Amenfi-Central, Andrew Asiamah of Fomena, Cynthia Mamle Morrison of Agona West and Kwadwo Asante of Suhum.

The Supreme Court had sided with the majority leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who argued that Bagbin had overstepped his constitutional mandate by going ahead with the declaration without a prior judicial review.

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However, reacting to the case's outcome, Martin Kpebu, in a November 12 interview on Citi FM, stated that Bagbin could assert Parliament’s independence by challenging the court’s decision.

He said the Speaker's rejection of the decision would strengthen democratic governance and serve as a powerful statement in the future.

Martin Kpebu explained that Bagbin’s decision to vacate the four parliamentary seats was in line with the legislature’s authority to oversee its internal affairs and that unfettered judicial interference in parliamentary business might erode the principle of separation of powers.

He also stated that strong political influences have weakened the judiciary and thus called for a constitutional review to right the wrongs committed in the past years.

Minority to boycott Parliament

The Odododiodio Member of Parliament, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has indicated that the minority caucus would boycott Parliament until after the December 7 elections.

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The decision followed the majority caucus’ plan to trigger a recall of Parliament after the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the vacant seat controversy.

Regarding the court’s ruling, Edwin Vanderpuye said it was not up to the court to determine which side of the House was the majority or not.

Vanderpuye also noted that his side of the HoHouseould not resume even if the majority caucus successfully triggered a recall of Parliament in the coming weeks.

Bagbin suspends parliamentary sitting

YEN.com.gh reported that Speaker Alban Bagbinhad adjourned parliamentary proceedings indefinitely.

He said this decision was due to questions being asked about the composition and constitution of the House.

He added that per Standing Order 59 and consultation, Parliament would close until the matter was finalised.

Proofread by Bruce Douglas, senior copy editor at YEN.com.gh

Source: YEN.com.gh