We’ll safeguard our Majority status; SC ruling unacceptable – Dr Ato Forson

The Majority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, says the National Dem­ocratic Congress (NDC) majority side of the house remains unfazed over the decision of the Supreme Court to ‘overturn’ the ruling of the Speaker of Parliament’s decla­ration of four seats vacant.

“We are fortified that the “pro­ceedings” of Parliament “shall not” be “impeached or questioned in any court or place out of Par­liament.”

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Sunday, Dr Forson said any interference with the business of Parliament is unlaw­ful, unacceptable and shall be resisted.

Dr Forson who until October 17 was the Minority Leader said the NDC caucus would jealously protect its new Majority status and will not bow, retreat nor surrender our lawfully earned status.

“We will also not abdicate our responsibility to the people no matter what! Nothing, absolutely nothing, will change this posi­tion!” Dr Forson said.

Mr Bagbin, officially declared four parliamentary seats vacant last week Thursday, with barely 50 days to the election in December.

“Accordingly, I will proceed to inform the house that by the noti­fication of the polls the following MPs have by their actions vacated their seats in parliament,” the Speaker said.

The decision follows an official petition to the Speaker by the NDC Member of Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, to have the seats declared vacant since the MPs had crossed carpet.

Article 97 (1) (g) of the Con­stitution stipulates that an MP must vacate their seat if they leave the party under which they were elected or attempt to remain in Parliament as an independent candidate.

The speaker’s declaration comes after extensive discussions and arguments presented by both the Majority and Minority sides of the House concerning the petition filed by former NDC Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu.

During a heated parliamenta­ry debate on Tuesday, Speaker Bagbin acknowledged the gravity of the matter and requested an additional two days to deliver a well-reasoned ruling.

The declaration by the speak­er comes despite a suit filed by Majority Leader in Parliament and MP for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, at the Supreme Court seeking a true and proper interpretation of Article 97 of the 1992 Constitution.

Mr Afenyo-Markin was also seeking the Court to restrain Par­liament from acting on the eligibil­ity of four lawmakers who have filed to contest the December polls as independent candidates.

Commenting on the Speak­er’s declaration on the floor of parliament, Mr Afenyo-Markin reminded the Speaker of the case filed in court, but the Speaker said the house had not been served.

This ruling means that Ghana’s hung parliament which gave the governing NPP a slight upper hand as the Majority side with the support of an Independent Member of Parliament, Andrew Amoako Asiamah, will now tilt towards the opposition NDC.

Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, who was elated about the development said the minority caucus would take steps to assume the position as the new majority in parliament.

 BY MALIK SULLEMANA

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