The Supreme Court has set Tuesday, 12th November 2024, to deliver its judgement on the disputed decision by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, to declare four parliamentary seats as vacant.
The case was filed before the court by Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the leader of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary caucus. Afenyo-Markin is challenging Speaker Alban Bagbin’s declaration of the seats as vacant, which was made without judicial oversight or the initiation of by-elections.
The court on Monday, November 11, 2024, heard arguments from the Attorney-General Godfred Yoboah Dame and Mr. Joe Ghartey.
Lawyer for the Speaker Alban Bagbin, Thaddeus Sory, did not appear in court on Monday, November 11, and Speaker Bagbin’s statement of case was not filed.
Mr. Dame challenged the legality of the Speaker’s continued representation by Thaddeus Sory, citing a lack of approval from the Public Procurement Authority.
The Speaker on October 17, 2024, declared the four seats vacant, claiming that the Members of Parliament (MPs) in question had violated constitutional requirements, thus justifying their removal from office.
Majority Leader Afenyo-Markin criticised the Speaker and accused him of overstepping his constitutional authority by making this decision unilaterally.
He argued that it is the judiciary, not the Speaker, that holds the power to interpret the Constitution in such cases and that Bagbin’s actions bypassed the due judicial process.
The lawmaker and leader of government business further posits that the Speaker’s declaration effectively disenfranchises the affected constituents, denying them their right to proper representation in Parliament.
The court issued an injunction preventing any further actions on the vacated seats until the pending matter had been settled.
The Speaker later filed a motion seeking to reverse the injunction, arguing that halting his declaration infringed upon his duties as Speaker and that his actions were within his powers to safeguard parliamentary integrity.
The Supreme Court dismissed Bagbin’s motion to reverse the injunction, upholding its previous ruling.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
