The Supreme Court of Ghana has issued a temporary halt on the decision by Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin to declare the seats of four Members of Parliament vacant. This follows a contentious ruling made on October 17, which was met with resistance. The stay came into effect after the majority leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, applied urgently, arguing that the ruling jeopardized democratic principles and violated constitutional rights.
The controversy originated from a motion filed by MP Haruna Iddrisu. This motion invoked constitutional stipulations which require MPs who change political affiliations or choose to run independently to vacate their seats. The MPs in question—Cynthia Morrison (Agona West), Kwadjo Asante (Suhum), Andrew Amoako Asiamah (Fomena), and Peter Kwakye Ackah (Amenfi Central)—had expressed intentions to contest in the December 7 elections, either as independents or under different party banners. Speaker Bagbin based his ruling on Article 97 of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, which stipulates that an MP’s seat becomes vacant if they are no longer a member of the party through which they were elected.
This decision led to dissent from the parliamentary majority, the New Patriotic Party, who viewed it as unconstitutional and biased in favor of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). In protest, they boycotted parliamentary sessions. The Supreme Court’s decision now keeps the four MPs in their roles pending further review and requires statements from both the speaker and the attorney general within a week to expedite the resolution of the matter.
Ghana is scheduled for general elections on December 7, 2024, where both presidential and all 275 parliamentary seats will be contested. Discussions about this issue are expected to influence electoral strategies and alliances in the run-up to the elections.
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