A leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Gabby Otchere-Darko has suggested the two Leaders in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin and Dr Cassiel Ato Forson and Speaker Alban Bagbin meet to agree on the next steps on how they handle the super court order that stays the execution of the ruling of the speaker in declaring four seats vacant.
He called on the House to avoid a seeming situation of chaos and anarchy.
“Parliament must, by all means, avoid a situation of seeming chaos and anarchy Tuesday. I suggest the two Leaders and Speaker meet before then to agree or agree to disagree on next steps. Not long to Dec 7, let maturity be our guide and guard,” he wrote on Facebook.
His comments come at a time when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) lawmakers said they would stick to the ruling of the speaker declaring four seats vacant, a ruling that makes them the Majority in Parliament.
This is despite the Supreme Court order that stays the execution of the ruling of speaker Alban Bagbin.
Addressing a press conference in Parliament on Sunday, October 20, leader of the NDC lawmakers, Dr Cassiel Ato Foprson 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 lawmakers until the case is determined. This was after the Speaker had, on Thursday, October 17, declared four seats in Parliament vacant.
The constituencies and the lawmakers are:
2. Kwadwo Asante, the current NPP MP for the Suhum constituency in the Eastern Region, who has also filed to run as an independent candidate.
3. Andrew Asiamah Amoako, currently an independent MP for the Fomena constituency in the Ashanti Region, who has filed to run in the upcoming election as a candidate for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
4. Peter Kwakye Ackah (Amenfi Central), NDC.
The former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu had petitioned the Speaker to declare the seats vacant by invoking Article 97 (1)(g) of the Constitution which stipulates that a lawmaker must vacate their seat if they leave the party under which they were elected or attempt to remain in Parliament as an independent candidate.
