The National Democratic Congress (NDC) caucus in Parliament has reaffirmed its position as the majority group, despite a recent Supreme Court ruling that set aside Speaker Alban Bagbin’s decision and upheld the four members’ positions in Parliament.
The NDC’s stance remains firm. According to their leaders, they are more inclined to follow the direction of Speaker Bagbin and their party leadership rather than the ruling of the Chief Justice or the Supreme Court.
Hon. Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, Member of Parliament for Builsa South, made these remarks during an appearance on the Adekyee Mu Nsem morning show on Ahotor 92.3 FM, hosted by Citizen Kofi Owusu. He expressed confidence that the NDC will emerge victorious in the December 2024 elections. Apaak emphasized the importance of hard work in Parliament during the final phase of the campaign to ensure success for both the party’s flagbearer and the MPs in their efforts to develop the country.
Hon. Apaak further stated that if the Supreme Court was truly concerned, it should take over the seat of Parliament and address the legislators directly. He underscored that Parliament is governed by its own rules and laws, and members only need to heed the directives of their leadership, particularly the Speaker, rather than external forces.
In a related development, Hon. Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, the NDC Member of Parliament for Odododiodoo, announced that the minority caucus will not return to Parliament until after the upcoming elections. This decision follows the majority caucus’s move to trigger a recall of Parliament in response to the Supreme Court’s recent ruling overturning Speaker Alban Bagbin’s declaration of four seats as vacant.
On Tuesday, November 12, 2024, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a challenge from Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, declaring that Speaker Bagbin had overstepped his authority by declaring the seats vacant. The dispute centered on the interpretation of Article 97(1)(g) of the Ghanaian Constitution, which Bagbin had used as justification for his declaration. Afenyo-Markin argued that the Speaker had bypassed judicial review and blocked the possibility of by-elections in the affected constituencies.
The Supreme Court had initially issued an interim injunction to halt the Speaker’s ruling, which Bagbin contested, arguing that parliamentary decisions are beyond judicial intervention. However, the court ultimately sided with Afenyo-Markin and overturned Bagbin’s decision.
In an interview with the media, Hon. Vanderpuye criticized the NPP caucus for what he described as “unnecessary spending” of taxpayer money, suggesting that they should not call the minority members back to Parliament in the next three weeks. He reiterated that the NDC minority caucus is focused on election preparations and will only resume parliamentary duties after the December polls.
“We will not return to Parliament before the elections,” Vanderpuye stated. “We are prioritizing the elections, and our focus is on campaigning for victory. After the elections, we will return to Parliament. This should be clear to them.”
He further emphasized, “The issue of majority and minority in Parliament is determined by the numbers in the house, not by the Supreme Court or the NPP. When Speaker Bagbin declared them the majority, did they go to the Supreme Court to seek validation? We have our own procedures for determining who is in the majority and who is in the minority.”
Story by: Alexander Kukah
