A Former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Koku Anyidoho is wondering why the Minority in Parliament are boycotting Parliament to be in court to support their members who are standing trials when, in his view, the law is asking their members legitimate questions.
“Don’t MPs draw legitimacy from the constitution of Ghana? Doesn’t the Constitution proscribe what is against the laws of the land? So you want the Constitution to protect you, but not protect the state? Why boycott the work of parliament because the law is asking legit questions?” He tweeted.
The Minority in Parliament stayed away from sittings of Parliament on Thursday, July 6 to enable members to accompany and solidarize with two members of their caucus, the Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, and lawmaker for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson.
The two appeared in court in their respective ongoing prosecutions by the Attorney-General and the NPP Government.
A statement issued by Minority Chief Whip Kwame Agbodza said “The Minority stands united with our colleagues, and as such will not be able to honour the business of the house today.
“This is the beginning of a series of actions that the Caucus will be embarking on to end the ongoing persecution of the Minority Leader himself, the Hon. James Gyakye Quayson and the Hon. Collins Dauda. We wish to reiterate the point that amidst persecution, cooperation will suffer.”
Their Leader, Ato Forson earlier indicated that the caucus had resolved to solidarise with James Gyakye Quayson until his trial in court was done with.
He made this known immediately after Mr Gyakye Quayson was sworn in as MP on Tuesday, July 4.
Quayson 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.