The Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has commented on the brouhaha surrounding Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin's declaration of four seats in Parliament vacant after the Members of Parliament (MPs) occupying these seats changed their political affiliations.
Speaking at a campaign event on October 21, 2024, the former President indicated that the Speaker of Parliament did nothing wrong in declaring the seats in question vacant.
He said that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs, who have gone to the Supreme Court to contest the ruling of the Speaker, are only suffering from the consequences of their own actions.
“When you do anything by convenience, it will come back and haunt you. In 2020, the Member of Parliament for Fomena filed to stand as an independent because he lost his primaries. Do you know what the NPP party did? They petitioned the Speaker and said that by his action of filing as an independent, he no longer represented the NPP in Parliament. So the Speaker should declare his seat vacant. And the Speaker Mike Oquaye did exactly that. He declared Honourable Asimah’s seat vacant.
“They didn't know that one day would come when the precedent that they had set would come back to haunt them. So this time, after petitioning the Speaker in 2020 to declare Honourable Asimah’s seat vacant, this time three of their own Members of Parliament filed as independents. And so the NDC's case was simple. One of our members also filed as an independent. So the NDC said, but this thing happened in 2020. The Speaker gave a ruling. So it has happened again. Four Members of Parliament have filed as independents. So Mr Speaker gave his ruling and said their seats should be declared vacant,” Mahama said.
The NDC flagbearer went on to say that with the declaration by Speaker Bagbin, his party is now the Majority Caucus in Ghana’s Parliament.
“And so Mr Speaker gave his ruling and said their seats should be declared vacant. And so by the declaration of their seats as being vacant, automatically the NDC becomes the Majority in today’s Parliament. And that’s why I say when you dig a pit for somebody, you yourself will come and fall in that same pit.”
Watch a video of Mahama’s comments below:
Speaker Bagbin did nothing wrong - @JDMahama pic.twitter.com/FPtMedp36c
— Radio Gold 90.5FM (@radiogold905fm) October 22, 2024
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