The Majority members in Ghana’s Parliament say they are committed to peace, vowing not to resort to violence, after the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament (MPs) took over the Majority bench at a sitting on Tuesday, October 22, 2024.
Speaking to journalists after staging a walkout from the floor of Parliament, the Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, said the path to the Majority bench isn’t through “patapaa” (brute force), urging the NDC Minority Group to respect the Supreme Court’s ruling that overturned Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin’s orders.
This ruling, issued on Friday, October 18, 2024 allowed four previously barred MPs to represent their constituents and declared their seats no longer vacant.
Afenyo-Markin advised the NDC to persuade Ghanaians to vote for them, if they believe they have the electoral appeal to win the Majority.
“That’s how we secured the Majority benches in 2017 and 2021, that is how it is done elsewhere, not through threats or intimidations. The path to the Majority bench is not carved through brute force or ‘patapaa’, in the hope that the seats on the Speaker’s right will be surrendered”, he noted.
On Friday, October 18, 2024 the Supreme Court of Ghana temporarily overturned Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin’s ruling, which had barred four Members of Parliament (MPs) from representing their constituents and declared their seats vacant.
The apex court, accordingly directed Parliament to recognise and allow the four affected MPs namely; Andrew Amoako Asiama, Independent MP for Fomena and 2nd Deputy Speaker, Cynthia Mamle Morrison, NPP MP for Agona West, Peter Yaw Kwakye-Ackah, NDC MP for Wassa Amenfi East and Kwadwo Asante, NPP MP for Suhum, to perform their duties.
The decision followed the granting of an ex-parte application filed by the Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, praying to the Court to stay the execution of Bagbin’s ruling, declaring vacant the seats of four MPs and ordering the said MPs to vacate their seats in Parliament, on account of his declaration.
Following the Supreme Court’s ruling, the Minority Caucus, led by Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, on Sunday, October 20, 2024 declared the NDC’s readiness to protect their new Majority status, citing the Speaker’s ruling that shifted the balance of power, giving the NDC Caucus a slight advantage with 136 MPs, compared to the NPP’s 135.
The Minority Leader said the NDC MPs were resolute in defending what they believe to be their rightful majority.
“The effect of the Speaker’s declaration is that currently, we no long have an independent Member of Parliament. The NPP has 135 members. This effectively utters the configurations of Parliament significantly.
“The NPP Group is now the Minority Caucus as defined in Order 6 of the Standing Orders of Parliament. The Minority Caucus means members of the party or parties that have the send largest number of seats in Parliament”, he stated.
The Minority Group backed their words with action by taking over the Majority bench at a sitting on Tuesday.
However, Afenyo-Markin emphasised that his side will always respect the court’s decisions and not resort to violence. “If they insist on entering the chamber with advertised thuggery, we will quietly leave and stay away from the House”, he stated.
The walkout led to a conclave meeting between the Speaker and the Leadership of Parliament, but it wasn’t enough to convince the two sides to resume sitting, prompting the Speaker to adjourn the House sine die.
By Stephen Odoi-Larbi
