NDC MPs reject Supreme Court ruling, set to boycott Parliament until January 6
Members of Parliament from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have rejected the Supreme Court Ruling that overturned Speaker Alban Bagbin’s declaration of four seats as vacant, deeming it unconstitutional.
On Tuesday, 12 November 2024, a seven-member panel of the Apex Court, led by Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkonoo, ruled in a 5-2 majority decision against the Speaker’s interpretation of Article 97 (1) (g) and (h). This ruling affirms the NPP, led by Alexander Afenyo-Markin, as the majority caucus in Parliament
Following this decision, NDC MPs have resolved to boycott parliamentary sittings until after the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections. This move follows Afenyo-Markin’s appeal to Speaker Bagbin to “do the right thing” by reinstating the NPP as the majority caucus.
In an interview with Accra-based Channel One TV, MP for Odododiodoo, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, underscored that the NDC side considers itself the majority until formally notified otherwise by Speaker Bagbin. “If a judgement has been given by the Supreme Court, that judgement should be effected through the Speaker, so that the Speaker will come to the house, because decisions affecting Parliament are taken in the house and not in the Supreme Court,” he stated.
Bagbin warns against toying with Parliament: ‘People don’t suffer to elect us in vain’
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Vanderpuye further clarified that the NDC MPs have no intention of returning to Parliament until after the December 7 elections. He noted that the NDC “reserves the right” to attend any emergency recall by the Speaker within the next three weeks but cautioned that any such motion would “amount to a waste of taxpayers’ money.”
He added, “By the timetable of Parliament, the house is supposed to be on recess to allow MPs to focus on the upcoming election, and our side is not ‘coming anywhere around Parliament’ until after the election.”
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is scheduled to release a detailed explanation of its ruling on Wednesday, 13 November 2024.
Source: PulseGhana
