Vacant Seat Saga: ‘I am very uncomfortable with Supreme Court’s ruling on Speaker’s decision’ – Inusah Fuseini

Former National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, has disagreed with the recent Supreme Court judgment that nullified the Speaker's decision on the four vacant seats.

In a phone interview on Angel TV's Yen Man Ghana on Saturday, November 16, 2024, hosted by Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante, Fuseini stated that the Supreme Court ruling was based on Article 97, sections (g) and (h), which only affect the current parliament and not the next.

Fuseini feels particularly uncomfortable with the judgment of Justice Asare Darko, who, according to him, failed to evaluate Article 97 of Ghana's constitution, which clearly outlines the conditions under which a seat can be declared vacant.

He emphasised that while people may disagree with the court ruling, the law has spoken, and the Supreme Court, being the highest authority in the land, must be obeyed and respected.

He further explained that Justice Asare Darko focused on the keywords in Article 97 (g) and (h) to form his judgment, which is part of 97(1). However, a detailed analysis of 97(1), particularly sections (a) through (h), reveals implications for future elections that will affect the current parliamentary considerations.

Fuseini criticised Asare Darko for prioritising the current composition of parliament and the potential disturbances from declaring seats vacant, arguing that more analysis and clarity were needed before reaching conclusions.

Fuseini also noted that a similar issue in 2020 did not destabilise parliament. He concluded by stating that the present composition of parliament has led to an infatuation with principle, which is where he finds his challenge with Justice Asare Darko's judgment.