The Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin, Wednesday alleged a coordinated effort by the Judiciary and Executive to undermine Parliament’s authority.
This comes after a Supreme Court ruling blocked the Speaker from declaring four parliamentary seats vacant.
At a Media briefing in Parliament House, in Accra, Mr Bagbin accused the Judiciary and Executive of allegedly encroaching on legislative independence, threatening Ghana’s democracy.
He argued Parliament’s internal decisions should not be subject to judicial control, setting a dangerous precedent that eroded the separation of powers.
Mr Bagbin also called on Ghanaians to be vigilant about preserving the independence of all branches of government, underscoring the critical role of legislative autonomy in safeguarding democracy.
“Ghanaians must be vigilant about preserving the independence of all branches of government,” he urged. “Legislative autonomy is crucial to safeguarding democracy,” the Speaker added.
The Speaker’s concerns followed a Supreme Court decision upholding a previous ruling, sparking debate over constitutional boundaries and judicial influence in parliamentary matters.
On Thursday, October 17, 2024, the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Bagbin, officially declared four Parliamentary seats vacant.
The affected constituencies were Amenfi Central, Fomena, Agona West, and Suhum.
The decision followed a formal petition submitted to the Speaker by Mr Haruna Iddrisu, an NDC Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale South.
Mr Iddrisu questioned the basis of the members’ continued stay in the House after they had filed to contest in the next Parliamentary elections on other tickets rather than the tickets on which they entered the House.
The petition triggered extensive debates and arguments within Parliament, with both the Majority and Minority sides presenting their cases.
In the end, the Speaker declared the four seats vacant, citing provisions in the 1992 Consitution of Ghana and a ruling in a similar matter by his predecessor, Professor Michael Oquaye.
Article 97(1)(g) of Ghana’s Constitution states that a Member of Parliament shall vacate his/her seat if the person leaves the party that elected him/her to join another party or seek to remain in Parliament as an independent member.
While the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Caucus in Parliament had condemned and described the Speaker’s ruling as “evil”, the Supreme Court had set aside the ruling of the Speaker, which declared the four Parliamentary seats vacant.
The Court noted that declaring the four seats vacant would affect the democratic rights of the constituents who voted for them.
“…The execution of the Speaker of Parliament ruling declaring four seats vacant is hereby stayed pending the final determination of the suit.
“Parliament is hereby directed to allow the Members of Parliament to perform their full duties,” the Court ruled.
The Speaker of Parliament and the Attorney General had, however, been directed to file their statements of the case within seven days.
The five-member panel presided over by the Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Gertrude Torkornoo also ordered parties to file joint memoranda of issues within seven days.
The political stalemate in Parliament comes at a critical time for Ghana, as the country gears up for the 2024 general elections.
The legal and constitutional implications of the Speaker’s ruling, the Supreme Court’s intervention, and the ongoing tussle over parliamentary seats have created a volatile atmosphere, with both the NPP and NDC determined to emerge victorious.
GNA