NDC MPs 'cede' Majority Caucus seats to the NPP

National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament appear to have ceded the Majority Caucus status of the House to their colleagues from the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The two political parties have, for the past few months, been grappling over the Majority Caucus status of the House, with both parties claiming that they are the Majority.

On two occasions, the New Patriotic Party legislators boycotted proceedings in the House after the NDC MPs took over the Majority side of the House - the seats on the right-hand side of the Speaker, which led to an indefinite adjournment because there was no quorum for decision making.

The issue of which party forms the Majority Caucus appears to have been settled as the House reconvenes on Monday, December 16, 2024, following a recall by Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin.

GhanaWeb’s team at the Dome of the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), which is the makeshift floor of the House, captured the NDC MPs sitting on the left side of the Speaker of Parliament, which is designated for the Minority side of the House by convention.

The New Patriotic Party MPs were also captured sitting on the Majority side of the House as they awaited Speaker Alban Bagbin’s arrival.

Background:

The Speaker of Parliament for the second time in less than a month, suspended the sitting of the House sine die (indefinitely), due to the NPP MPs not showing up for the House's sitting on Thursday, November 7, 2024.

The Speaker explained that he had to suspend the meeting indefinitely because the House lacked the numbers required to make decisions.

He also stated that there was no business before the House for consideration as the Business Committee of Parliament did not meet to present one to the plenary.

Bagbin expressed his frustration at the absence of the NPP Members of Parliament, as he had summoned the House upon the request of the leadership of the NPP MPs.

On Tuesday, October 22, 2024, Alban Bagbin adjourned the sitting of the House sine die (indefinitely), just a week after Members of Parliament reconvened following a long recess, citing a lack of quorum for decision-making after the NPP MPs boycotted proceedings.

The NPP MPs walked out of Parliament after the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs occupied the Majority side of the House.

The Speaker declared four seats in the House vacant after being petitioned by NDC MPs following the decision of the affected MPs to contest the upcoming December 2024 elections as independents or on different party tickets.

This declaration shifted the balance of power in Parliament, making the NDC the Majority party.

However, the Supreme Court stayed the Speaker’s ruling on October 18, 2024, pending further review after the leader of the NPP MPs, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, challenged Bagbin's declaration in court.

The affected seats were those held by Cynthia Morrison (Agona West), Kwadjo Asante (Suhum), Andrew Amoako Asiamah (Fomena), and Peter Kwakye Ackah (Amenfi Central).

The Supreme Court subsequently nullified the Speaker’s declaration, stating that it was unconstitutional but that did not stop the NDC's from holding themselves as the Majority Caucus.



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