Adansi Asokwa MP and Minister of Trade and Industry, K.T. Hammond, has expressed confidence that Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin will adhere to the recent ruling by the Supreme Court.
This statement comes in light of the Supreme Court’s stay of execution regarding Bagbin’s decision to declare four parliamentary seats vacant.
The Speaker's ruling was based on a motion filed by former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, which invoked constitutional provisions mandating MPs who cross carpet to vacate their seats.
The four affected MPs—Cynthia Morrison (Agona West), Kwadjo Asante (Suhum), Andrew Amoako Asiamah (Fomena), and Peter Kwakye Ackah (Amenfi Central)—were deemed to have violated these provisions by either switching their party affiliations or indicating intentions to contest the upcoming election as independent candidates.
The situation has sparked significant legal debate and concern regarding the balance of power in Parliament.
In anticipation of the Speaker’s ruling, Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin filed an urgent legal action with the Supreme Court on October 15, seeking clarity on the status of the four MPs.
Mr Afenyo-Markin's actions reflect the urgency felt within the Majority caucus regarding the implications of the Speaker's decision which tilted the leadership of the House to the NDC with barely two months to the election.
On October 18, Mr Afenyo-Markin filed for a stay of execution against the Speaker's ruling.
The Supreme Court subsequently granted this stay order, temporarily suspending any actions linked to the ruling, including the declaration of the four parliamentary seats as vacant.
This development has been welcomed by the Majority Leader, who expressed satisfaction with the Court’s intervention.
In a subsequent interview, K.T. Hammond expressed doubts about the likelihood of Speaker Bagbin, a legal practitioner himself, attempting to overturn the Supreme Court ruling.
“I feel excited, I knew yesterday that it was a bogus ruling by the Speaker… It’s clear what the court has said, I don’t anticipate any difficulties. The court is the ultimate arbiter of constitutional matters and it has said A, B, C, D, and that is it, so I expect everyone to abide by it."
“I can’t imagine the Speaker, who is the number 3, 4 of the land, deciding to do anything otherwise. The constitution is in contempt of court and he’s a lawyer who understands these things. So I expect that on Tuesday when we go back to Parliament, on October 22, we the Majority will be comfortably seated on our part of the aisle and the Minority who are perpetual opposition will be seated at their rightful place.”
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