Members of Parliament from both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are occupying the Majority side of the House ahead of the sitting on Tuesday, October 22, 2024.
GhanaWeb’s team at Parliament captured both NDC and NPP MPs seated on the Speaker’s right-hand side, which is traditionally reserved for the Majority Caucus.
Meanwhile, the left side of the Speaker, designated for the Minority Caucus, remains vacant.
Frank Annoh-Dompreh, MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri and Chief Whip of the NPP MPs, was spotted sitting on the Majority side of the House, alongside fellow NPP MP, Habib Iddrisu.
On the other hand, NDC MPs, including Sam George and ABA Fuseini, were also seen seated on the Majority side.
Interestingly, all MPs entering the chamber appeared to be heading straight for the Majority side, intensifying the ongoing debate over which party holds the Majority.
This comes after the Supreme Court's ruling, which quashed Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin's decision, as the House convenes for the first time since the ruling.
Background
The Supreme Court of Ghana on October 18, 2024, stayed the ruling of Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, in the matter of the vacation of some four seats.
This occurred as the highest court in the land, led by Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, considered an application from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament.
The decision by the apex court effectively suspends the implementation of the Speaker’s ruling on October 17, 2024, pending further legal review and final determination.
Bagbin had granted a motion by the Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson to declare some four seats vacant, making the NDC become the party with majority members in Parliament.
Delivering his ruling, the Speaker noted that the decision by the affected MPs to contest in the December 7, 2024, election as independent or on the ticket of a party different from the party on whose ticket they currently serve, contravened Article 97 (g) and (h) of the 1992 Constitution.
He noted that the motive and operational effect of Article 97(g) and (h) was to cure the issues of cross carpeting and defection as witnessed in parliaments of old.
He stated that the intent of Article 97 (g) (i) was to cure party loyalty throughout the stay of an MP in Parliament.
He emphasised that the affected MPs by their decision and the Notice of Polls issued by the Electoral Commission for the December 7, 2024, parliamentary elections have vacated their seat.
The affected seats and their MPs included Cynthia Morrison (Agona West), Kwadjo Asante (Suhum), Andrew Amoako Asiamah (Fomena), and Peter Kwakye Ackah (Amenfi Central).
The NDC is upholding the Speaker's ruling, while the NPP is supporting the Supreme Court's decision. With heightened anticipation, it remains unclear how the Speaker will respond to this development.
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