Parliament Resumes as Supreme Court Stays Speaker’s Ruling on 4 MPs
Parliament is set to reconvene today, October 22, 2024, following a tumultuous week marked by high-profile legal drama. The session is expected to draw significant public attention after the Supreme Court intervened to halt the implementation of a controversial ruling by Speaker Alban S. K. Bagbin, pending the court’s final decision on the matter.
The uproar began on October 17, 2024, when Speaker Bagbin declared four parliamentary seats vacant. The MPs affected by the ruling include Cynthia Morrison (NPP, Agona West), Peter Yaw Kwakye-Ackah (NDC, Amenfi Central), Kwadwo Asante (NPP, Suhum), and Andrew Asiamah Amoako (Independent, Fomena). Bagbin’s decision was grounded on Article 97 of the 1992 Constitution, arguing that the MPs had vacated their seats by filing nominations to contest the 2024 elections under new political banners.
Before the Speaker’s ruling, Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin had filed a case with the Supreme Court seeking interpretation of Article 97. On Friday, October 18, he filed an ex parte application, requesting the court to pause the Speaker’s decision until the case is resolved. Granting the request, the Supreme Court ordered a stay of execution, allowing the four MPs to retain their seats and continue parliamentary duties until the matter is concluded.
On the eve of Parliament’s return, Speaker Bagbin took to Facebook, posting: “God bless our homeland Ghana and make it great and strong, beyond any single individual or institution.”
Today’s parliamentary session is anticipated to be closely watched, with the legal dispute at the forefront of discussions, as MPs navigate the tension between legislative authority and judicial oversight.
Story by Kusi Damoah/ Pinkfmonlinegh.com