Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has delivered a ruling on a petition seeking the removal of four sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) who have filed to contest as independent candidates in the upcoming December elections.
As a result, the seats of Cynthia Morrison (Agona West), Kojo Asante (Suhum), Andrew Asiamah (Fomena), and Peter Kwakye Ackah (Amenfi Central) have been declared vacant.
Three MPs, who were previously elected on the tickets of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Peter Kwakye of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2020 elections, are now set to contest as independents.
In his ruling, Speaker Alban Bagbin, after a thorough reading, explained that if Article 97 (1)(g) of the 1992 Constitution were intended to apply only to a future parliament, it would serve no purpose, as the MPs involved would have completed their term in the current parliament by then.
He also pointed out that the previous decision by former Speaker Prof. Mike Oquaye, who expelled the Fomena MP after the NPP informed him of the MP’s intention to run as an independent candidate, was not binding on his or any other Speaker’s decisions.
Bagbin stressed that, given the confirmation through the notice of polls that the four MPs had chosen to contest as independents, they no longer had the right to remain in the current parliament. As a result, he declared their seats vacant.
Their removal was triggered by a petition from former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, who invoked Article 97 (1)(g) of the Constitution, which requires MPs running as independents to vacate their parliamentary seats.
In response, Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin filed a legal challenge with the Supreme Court, seeking to block the Minority’s efforts. Although Afenyo-Markin opposed Speaker Bagbin’s ruling, Minority Leader Ato Forson praised the Speaker for “standing firm” on the issue.
Prior to the ruling, the NDC held 137 seats in Parliament, while the NPP had 138. Following the Speaker’s decision, the NDC now holds 136 seats, securing a majority over the NPP’s 135 seats.
Meanwhile, the NPP Members of Parliament have vowed not to step into the chamber until the matter before the Supreme Court is addressed.
