Supreme Court hears Bagbin's ruling on vacancy of four seats

The Supreme Court of Ghana is hearing the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin's ruling on some four parliamentary seats.

This is after an ex parte application filed by Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Majority Leader in Parliament.

According to multiple reports by some journalists shared on social media, the hearing by a 5-member panel is being spearheaded by the Chief Justice of Ghana herself, Gertrude Torkornoo.

"The NPP group have gotten the Supreme Court to hear an application to stay Alban Bagbin's decision to declare four seats vacant.

"The Court is currently presided over by Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo," Elton Brobbey wrote.

In another post seen by GhanaWeb on the matter, and shared by Richard Dela Sky, a journalist cum lawyer, he wrote "Breaking: The Supreme Court is currently hearing an application concerning the issue that has provoked all the storm in Parliament. I wish both sides concerned the very best of luck."

Background

The Member of Parliament for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu, announced that his caucus intended to invoke Article 97 (g) to demand that the seats of three New Patriotic Party MPs and that of an MP from the National Democratic Congress caucus be declared vacant.

Haruna Iddrisu’s reaction stemmed from the nominations filed by MPs for Agona West and Suhum, who are members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), to contest in the 2024 parliamentary election as independent candidates.

The independent MP for Fomena also filed his nomination to contest in the election on the ticket of the NPP, and the Amenfi Central MP, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), also filed his nomination to contest as an independent candidate.

However, Article 97 [1(g) & (h)] of the 1992 Constitution states that “a member of Parliament shall vacate his seat in Parliament if he leaves the party of which he was a member at the time of his election to Parliament to join another party or seeks to remain in Parliament as an independent member; or if he was elected a member of Parliament as an independent candidate and joins a political party.”

In reaction to this, the Speaker of Parliament declared four seats vacant, resulting in the minority becoming the majority in parliament.

AE