The Executive Director of the African Center for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA) Dr Rasheed Dramani has told the National Democratic Congress (NDC) especially its Members of Parliament (MPs) to be careful with the kind of decisions they take while in opposition.
Dr Dramani said that a party like the NDC that has the potential of forming the next government will have to be measured in their utterances and decisions.
He was speaking in relation to the decision by the minority not to partake in the business of the House days Assin North Member of Parliament James Gyakye Quayson will be in court for his criminal trial.
Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson says the caucus has resolved to solidarise with James Gyakye Quayson until the case is done with.
He made this known immediately after Mr Gyakye Quayson was sworn in as MP on Tuesday, July 4.
He swore the Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of Member of Parliament as administered by Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin exactly a week after he won the by-election held as a result of his deposition by a Supreme Court ruling. He was said to have been invalidly elected.
Giving his remarks after the swearing-in, which was well-attended by friends and family of the Mr Gyakye Quayson, Dr Ato Forson served notice that the Minority will not join business of the House on days the Assin North member will appear in court for his daily trial.
“Mr Speaker, I wish to serve notice that the entire Minority Group will accompany our colleague to court today and any other day that he is to appear in court,” he stated.
“Mr Speaker, we are solidarising with our colleague and we will not participate in the business of the House anytime our colleague is in court and we will be withdrawing form the chamber after this ceremony if the court processes indeed happen today.”
The case was called at the High Court on Tuesday, July 4 but it was adjourned to Thursday, July 6.
The Minority insists cooperation in the House will be difficult to achieve in the face of the ongoing trial.
“Amid persecution, cooperation will certainly suffer. Mr Speaker, a word to wise is in Assin North.”
Speaking on this development on News 360 on TV3 Tuesday, July 4, Dr Draman said “In some countries, we have some parties that are permanently in opposition, they don’t have any chance of forming a government.
“Those can act in a way that might be construed as irresponsible but a party that has the chance of forming the next government has to be careful in terms of the actions that it takes.”