New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament (MPs) walked out of the makeshift floor of Parliament at the Dome of the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) ahead of Tuesday, October 22, 2024’s sitting.
Before walking out, the leader of the NPP MPs, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, indicated that they were leaving to avoid a commotion in the House.
He stated that the NPP is a law-abiding party and its members would not engage in any acts of lawlessness.
Afenyo-Markin further noted that members of his caucus would not engage in any disputes with their colleagues on the other side over which group constitutes the Majority Caucus of the House.
He insisted that his caucus was the Majority Caucus.
He also admonished the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, to comply with the Supreme Court's directive to stay his declaration of four seats in Parliament vacant.
Following his remarks, members of the NPP sang their party anthem before walking out.
As they left, National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs could be heard hooting at them.
Background
The Supreme Court of Ghana on October 18, 2024, stayed the ruling of Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, in the matter of the vacation of some four seats.
This occurred as the highest court in the land, led by Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, considered an application from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament.
The decision by the apex court effectively suspends the implementation of the Speaker’s ruling on October 17, 2024, pending further legal review and final determination.
Bagbin had granted a motion by the Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson to declare some four seats vacant, making the NDC become the party with majority members in Parliament.
Delivering his ruling, the Speaker noted that the decision by the affected MPs to contest in the December 7, 2024, election as independent or on the ticket of a party different from the party on whose ticket they currently serve, contravened Article 97 (g) and (h) of the 1992 Constitution.
He noted that the motive and operational effect of Article 97(g) and (h) was to cure the issues of cross carpeting and defection as witnessed in parliaments of old.
He stated that the intent of Article 97 (g) (i) was to cure party loyalty throughout the stay of an MP in Parliament.
He emphasised that the affected MPs by their decision and the Notice of Polls issued by the Electoral Commission for the December 7, 2024, parliamentary elections have vacated their seat.
The affected seats and their MPs included Cynthia Morrison (Agona West), Kwadjo Asante (Suhum), Andrew Amoako Asiamah (Fomena), and Peter Kwakye Ackah (Amenfi Central).
The NDC is upholding the Speaker's ruling, while the NPP is supporting the Supreme Court's decision. With heightened anticipation, it remains unclear how the Speaker will respond to this development.
Watch this incident in the video below:
BAI/OGB
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