The Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, has vowed never to sit on the left side of the Speaker of Parliament, which is reserved for the Minority Caucus of the House.
Speaking after the Supreme Court adjourned his application challenging Speaker Alban Bagbin's declaration of four seats in the House vacant, on November 11, 2024, Afenyo-Markin suggested that sitting on the minority side would have some spiritual ramifications for his party in the December 7 elections.
“I should go and sit in the minority seat? Spiritually it is not even good. You have three weeks to the election. I should go and sit on the minority side. Is that my seat? I will not go and sit there. I will never do it. That is not my rightful place.
“I should go to the minority side, spiritually make myself a minority person and bind my colleagues? We will not do that. No NPP person will do that,” he said.
The Effutu legislator indicated that the decision by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs to take over the majority side of the House is the reason his side did not show up during the sitting on Thursday, November 7, 2024.
He indicated that his seat had been taken over by the leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, and there was no way for him to be recognised by the Speaker of Parliament.
“Let's get the facts straight. If I had gone into the chamber, where was I going to stand? The proceedings in Parliament include the need to be recognised by Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker can only recognise you through your name tag. It's in our rule book.
“You need to stand at your place. That is what the law says in Parliament. You must stand at your place and rise, rise at your place and get recognised. My seat has been taken by Dr. Ato Forson. Where should I stand as Majority Leader?” he queried.
He added that people criticised him for not showing up because “they didn't understand the proceedings of Parliament.”
Background:
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, 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 include those held by Cynthia Morrison (Agona West), Kwadjo Asante (Suhum), Andrew Amoako Asiamah (Fomena), and Peter Kwakye Ackah (Amenfi Central).
BAI/EK
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