Speaker Bagbin Faces Critical Decision Amid Parliamentary Seat Controversy

Speaker Alban Bagbin will have to make a critical decision today, October 22, 2024, whether to maintain his earlier ruling that declared four parliamentary seats vacant or abide by the Supreme Court’s direction to hold off.

His predicament emanates from a noisily protracted political battle that has pitted the government and opposition parties against each other in the Ghana Parliament with near equal strength between the governing New Patriotic Party, NPP, and the opposition National Democratic Congress, NDC, since the general elections of 2020.

This was after the NPP had to rely on an independent MP to secure a majority following the 2020 election, which saw both parties secure 137 seats each.

Since then, Parliament has been marred by heavy political wrangling between both sides, who have struggled to reach compromises on major issues, including the unpopular levy imposed on electronic transactions.

The latest contention involves four parliamentary seats: Amenfi Central, Suhum, Fomena, and Agona West, whose MPs are seen to contest as independent candidates in the 2024 elections.

READ ALSO: Tensions Rise as Both NDC and NPP MPs Occupy Majority Side in Parliament

Article 97(1)(g) of the constitution states that MPs who leave their party to contest as independents must vacate their seats. Speaker Bagbin, relying on the provision, declared the four seats vacant on October 17.

His decision is in line with that of the immediate past Speaker, Prof. Aaron Mike Ocquaye, in 2020, when he declared the Fomena seat vacant following his MP’s decision to contest as an independent.

However, this ruling by the Speaker sparked heated debate in Parliament. The NPP insists that Speaker Bagbin should have stayed away from the matter since their leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, had taken the issue to the Supreme Court. On 18th October, the Supreme Court intervened, declaring the Speaker’s decision should not be applied until the court rules on the matter.

Despite such a court order, however, the NDC caucus insisted it would only abide by the instructions of the Speaker, promising to defend its newfound majority status.

Whatever the Speaker will decide upon, it is going to have really far-reaching implications in terms of altering the political landscape in Ghana because both sides are waiting on what he will do next.

Source: Xtrememediaonline.com