The Minority Leader in Parliament, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has reaffirmed his caucus’s determination to defend their parliamentary majority despite a Supreme Court ruling that temporarily halts a decision by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin.
Addressing a press conference in Parliament on Sunday, October 20, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson said that “We will jealously protect our new Majority status and will not bow, retreat nor surrender our lawfully earned status.
We will also not abdicate our responsibility to the people no matter what! Nothing, absolutely nothing, will change this position! We are fortified that the ‘proceedings’ of Parliament ‘shall not’ be ‘impeached or questioned in any court or place out of Parliament.’ Any interference with the business of Parliament is unlawful, unacceptable and shall be resisted. We have never hidden our position that we are in this Parliament for the ordinary Ghanaian.”
The Supreme Court on Friday, October 18 directed Parliament to recognise and allow the four MPs to continue to serve as lawmaketrs until the case is determined.
This was after the Speaker had, on Thursday, October 17, declared four seats in Parliament vacant.
The four MPs are Mr Peter Yaw Kwakye-Ackah, National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Amenfi Central, who is contesting the December 7 polls as an independent candidate and Mr Andrew Amoako Asiamah, an independent MP for Fomena, who is contesting on the ruling New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) ticket.
The rest are Madam Cynthia Mamle Morrison, NPP MP for Agona West, who is contesting as an independent candidate and Mr Kwadjo Asante, NPP MP for Suhum, who is also contesting as an independent candidate.
The Speaker’s declaration left the New Patriotic NPP with 135 seats, while the National Democratic Congress (NDC) holds a slender lead with 136 seats.
However, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, ruled to stay the execution of Speaker Bagbin’s declaration, thereby preventing the immediate vacancy of the seats and maintaining the current parliamentary numbers.
Parliament is expected to resume sitting on Tuesday, October 22, where the Speaker's response to the Supreme Court ruling is highly anticipated.
