NPP MP Cynthia Mamle Morrison rescinds decision to go independent

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Agona West, Cynthia Mamle Morrison, has reportedly rescinded her decision to contest in the 2024 parliament election as an independent candidate.

The MP’s seat was one of four declared vacant by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, on October 17, 2024.

The declaration of the four vacant seats changed the composition of Parliament, making the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs, the Majority Caucus and NPP MPs the Minority Caucus.

This development implies that if all other factors are held constant, either the NDC or the NPP would form the Majority Caucus because both of them would have 136 seats in the House, unless more of the MPs who changed their affiliations rescind them.

This report comes after viral visuals on social media showed the Agona West legislator with some NPP MPs, including the leader of the caucus, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin and the MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong.

Cynthia Morrison was first elected as the MP for Agona West in 2016 on the NPP ticket and successfully retained her seat in the 2020 parliamentary election.

However, she lost the NPP primaries for the 2024 election to Christopher Arthur, the current NPP parliamentary candidate for the upcoming December 7 polls.

She cited ill-treatment by the current NPP establishment as her reason for seeking to run independently.

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 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 Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson to declare four seats vacant, making the NDC the party with the 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 independents or on the ticket of a party different from the one 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 address 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 ensure party loyalty throughout an MP's tenure 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 seats.

The affected seats and their MPs included Cynthia Morrison (Agona West), Kwadjo Asante (Suhum), Andrew Amoako Asiamah (Fomena), and Peter Kwakye Ackah (Amenfi Central).

On Tuesday, October 22, 2024, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, adjourned the sitting of the House sine die (indefinitely), just a week after Members of Parliament reconvened following a long recess.

BAI/