Vacant Seats Controversy: We are ready for a full hearing - Afenyo-Markin's lawyer

The legal team of the leadership of the New Patriotic Party caucus in Parliament has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that the Supreme Court's ruling to stay the Speaker of Parliament's decision to declare four seats vacant is upheld.

According to Francis Paa Kwesi Abaidoo, who represents Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, they are prepared for a full hearing of the vacant seats controversy in Parliament at the Supreme Court.

Addressing the media at the court premises on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, after the Supreme Court dismissed an application by the Speaker challenging the court's order for a stay of the declaration of four seats in the House vacant, lawyer Abaidoo said, “We are poised for a full hearing and determination of the matter. No more interlocutory and interim applications.”

Regarding the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin’s position in the hearing, lawyer Abaidoo explained that he has no choice but to file his defense in the vacant seats controversy.

“The first defendant, the Speaker of Parliament, now has no excuse whatsoever to decline or fail to file his defense and statement of the case to the action,” he stated.

About the ruling of the Supreme Court:

The apex court of Ghana threw out the application from the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, in the matter of the vacation of some four seats in Parliament.

Reading the ruling of the 5-member Supreme Court panel, Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo said that contrary to other assertions that it does not have jurisdiction over such a matter, it rather does.

She added that any person who does not comply with the order of the Supreme Court has committed a crime.

The CJ also said that the Supreme Court did no wrong in exercising its discretionary power in the matter before it.

She also indicated that the Speaker of Parliament's interpretation of Article 97 was not just against 4 Members of Parliament, but tens of thousands of Ghanaians.

Bagbin’s lawyer has asked the Supreme Court to set aside “the processes and proceedings in the Supreme Court” that led to the directive of the 5-member panel of the court, chaired by Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, for him to stay his declaration of the seats vacant.

The lawyers also asked for the “vacating of the order of the Court dated October 18, 2024.”

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