Odododiodioo MP, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has criticized the Supreme Court’s ruling regarding the vacant seats case in Parliament, describing it as “unfortunate” and arguing that the decision has not resonated well with many Ghanaians.
In a 5-2 decision, the Supreme Court upheld a suit filed by Alexander Afenyo-Markin challenging Speaker Alban Bagbin's declaration of four seats as vacant.
This decision, announced yesterday, November 12, is expected to be elaborated upon with a full judgment today, Wednesday, November 13.
The lawsuit initiated by Afenyo-Markin created a power struggle within Parliament, with NDC MPs assuming the majority position following Bagbin’s ruling, while New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs protested by boycotting parliamentary proceedings.
With the Supreme Court’s recent decision, Parliament is expected to revert the NDC MPs to their original Minority status.
However, Vanderpuye voiced strong opposition to the ruling during an interview on an Accra-based television station, stating, “I do not care about the Supreme Court ruling that the declaration of four seats vacant by Speaker Alban Bagbin was unconstitutional.”
He criticized the court for intervening in what he argued was a straightforward constitutional issue.
"Any class 6 pupil can read this article and understand this. But they decided to give an interpretation. Many Ghanaians will tell you they are not happy about the ruling," he added.
Vanderpuye further argued that this ruling had compromised the image of the Supreme Court, referencing a recent report by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.
“One would have thought that the Supreme Court would use this to restore some image to itself. But they further pushed their image and integrity into the barn, so I am not worried,” he said.
In light of the decision, Vanderpuye stated that the NDC MPs would not comply with a recall to Parliament to reinstate the original status quo.
“If the Supreme Court says they have the authority to change the status quo in Parliament, then they should arrogate to themselves the power to order Parliament to sit tomorrow"
"No MP from our side will respond to any call to leave the field and come to the House. We are not robots to be pushed here and there,” he declared.
When asked if this response reflected the position of the entire NDC caucus, Vanderpuye confirmed that “about 99% of our members on our platform have said that we will not respond to any recall of Parliament.”
However, he clarified that the NDC would still respond to a recall initiated directly by Speaker Bagbin, stressing the importance of evaluating the timing and necessity of any such summons.
This dispute stems from Bagbin's October 17, 2024, decision to declare four NDC seats vacant due to alleged constitutional violations by certain MPs.
Alexander Afenyo-Markin subsequently filed a motion with the Supreme Court, leading to yesterday's verdict, which now adds a new chapter to the ongoing political tensions in Ghana’s Parliament.
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
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