The nation’s attention will be fixed on the chambers of Parliament today over which party will occupy the majority side due to the ongoing power struggle between the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the house.
The dispute stems from a controversial decision by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, to declare four parliamentary seats vacant, a move that would shift the majority control to the NDC.
However, the Supreme Court has temporarily stayed the Speaker’s ruling, further fuelling the political standoff.
The tension has been compounded by allegations of military deployment to the house.
The situation has attracted mixed reactions from politicians, legal experts, and governance analysts who have called for measures to be put in place to prevent breakdown of order.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Midday News, First Deputy Majority Whip, Habib Iddrisu, dismissed the possibility of any military deployment, stating that the NPP leadership had not been informed of such plans.
“We in the Majority have not been notified by any presence of the military. The Majority Leader has not been communicated of the presence of the military,” he said.
Mr Iddrisu further emphasized that the NPP was focused on adhering to the Supreme Court’s orders rather than engaging in political theatrics.
On the other hand, the NDC Chief Whip, Kwame Governs Agbodza, warned against any military presence in Parliament, asserting that his caucus would “resist such actions” and that the “life of this government is less than two months.”
He accused the government of previously deploying the military at the start of the 8th Parliament in 2021, claiming that MPs were assaulted during that incident.
Mr Agbodza vowed that the people of Ghana would “react forcefully to anybody in uniform on Tuesday and beyond.”
Speaking on Peace FM, the Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, dismissed suggestions of a potential showdown in Parliament when the House sits today, sayingthat if tensions escalate, the majority side was prepared to simply walk out rather than engage in any confrontation.
Professor Stephen KwakuAsare, commonly referred to as Kwaku Azar, expressed concerns over the Speaker’s decision to declare the seats vacant, stating that it sets a “dangerous precedent” that could discourage MPs from planning their future political ambitions.
In a Facebook post, Prof. Asare argued that the ruling could “destabilise the balance of power determined by the electorate” and create an environment where lawmakers feel restricted in exploring their political futures.
He said the decision contradicted the fundamental right to freedom of association, including the right to join parties and pursue future political affiliations.
The Executive Director of the African Center for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA), Rasheed Draman, cautioned that the constant court challenges to parliamentary decisions could one day “paralyse” the legislature.
He suggested that the President, the Speaker of Parliament, and the Chief Justice should engage in a “three-way conversation” to resolve the matter amicably.
He expressed concern that the current situation may weaken public institutions if left unchecked.
A private legal practitioner and a one-time President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Sam Okudzeto, speaking on JoyNews on Sunday, expressed concern over the stance some lawmakers had taken on the issue, arguing that the interpretation of the Constitution remains the prerogative of the Supreme Court, not Parliament.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin, on Friday declared four parliamentary seats vacant, with barely 50 days to the election, following an official petition to the Speaker by the NDC Member of Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, to have the seats declared vacant since the MPs had crossed carpet.
Article 97 (1) (g) of the Constitution stipulates that an MP must vacate their seat if they leave the party under which they were elected or attempt to remain in Parliament as an independent candidate.
The said MPs, Cynthia Morrison for Agona West, Kwadjo Asante for Suhum both from the NPP, Peter Yaw Kwakye-Ackah for Amenfi Central from the NDC have filed to contest the December 7, 2024 parliamentary elections as independent candidates and Andrew Asiamah Amoako, an independent MP for Fomena, who has now filed to contest December 7, 2024 on the ticket of the NPP.
BY TIMES REPORTER
