News coming in indicated that the Supreme Court is set to deliver a landmark judgment on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, concerning the declaration of four parliamentary seats as vacant by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin.
The case, which has sparked intense debate and calls for constitutional review, was postponed from Monday, November 11, due to the absence of Speaker Bagbin’s legal representatives.
“The judgment of this matter will be delivered tomorrow, November 12, 2024,” Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo announced.
The dispute, filed by Alexander Afenyo-Markin, leader of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary caucus, contests the Speaker’s authority to declare seats vacant based on his interpretation of constitutional provisions and the House’s standing orders.
Speaker Bagbin’s controversial decision on October 17, 2024, argued that the MPs in question had breached constitutional obligations, thereby warranting the declaration of their seats as vacant.
Following this declaration, Afenyo-Markin filed an ex parte motion at the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the Speaker's decision. Subsequently, the Supreme Court granted a stay of execution on Bagbin’s declaration, halting any immediate effects.
In response, the Speaker, through his lawyer Thaddeus Sory, contested the stay of execution, arguing that the court had overreached by intervening in what he described as a non-judicial ruling.
On October 30, 2024, the Supreme Court dismissed Speaker Bagbin’s application to nullify the stay of execution and instructed him to submit additional documents by November 11.
This directive set the stage for Tuesday's anticipated verdict, which is expected to provide clarity on the Speaker’s powers concerning the declaration of vacant parliamentary seats and potentially reshape constitutional interpretations within Ghana’s parliamentary framework.
The case continues to capture national attention, with observers awaiting a decision that could influence future legislative procedures and the authority of parliamentary leadership in Ghana.
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
Comments