This is a necessary price to pay - NPP 'Majority' caucus reacts to Speaker's ruling

The NPP caucus has described their new position as the Minority in Parliament, following Speaker Alban Bagbin's declaration of four seats as vacant, as a necessary price to pay.

In a press statement bearing the letterhead of the Majority caucus and dated October 17, 2024, the NPP caucus explained that the ruling is a price to pay because it will help them mount a formidable defense of the country’s constitution and protect the will of the citizens.

However, it raised concerns about how the decision could negatively affect the prosecution of the government’s legislative agenda during the remaining days of the president’s term.

“We fully recognize that this decision will, to some extent, negatively affect the prosecution of the legislative agenda of the government of His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the remainder of his tenure.

“However, we firmly believe this is a necessary price to pay in mounting a formidable defense of our Constitution and safeguarding the will of the people of Ghana. The preservation of our democratic principles and the integrity of our constitutional order must take precedence over short-term legislative goals,” it said.

The statement further said that the Speaker's actions have subverted the will of Ghanaians, setting a bad precedent and posing a dangerous threat to the country’s democratic foundations.

It also indicated their readiness to pursue legal action against the Speaker’s unconstitutional act and to boycott parliamentary sittings until the issues are resolved by the Supreme Court.

Background

The National Democratic Congress Members of Parliament, who until Thursday were the Minority Caucus of Ghana’s Parliament, are now the Majority Caucus.

The unprecedented move and change happened after the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, declared four seats in the House vacant.

It follows a move by the NDC MPs on the Speaker, based on Article 97 [1(g) & (h)] of the 1992 Constitution which 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.”

Read the full statement below:

MAG/AE

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