News:
October 16, 2024
The Rt. Hon Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, has appealed to the House to give him two days to given a ruling, having been invited to declare four seats vacant as three seating Members of Parliament have declared their intentions to contest the 2024 Parliamentary elections as independent candidates with the only independent Member of Parliament contesting the election on the ticket of the ruling New Patriotic Party.
Former Minority Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale South Haruna Iddrisu has sent a petition of notice on the matter to the Speaker. And the Minority leader Dr. Atto Forson also had reason to speak on the matter when the House resumed on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, as a statement of public importance.
Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Asiamah Amoako of Fomena is an independent lawmaker caucusing with the Majority side, Amenfi Centrla Yaw Peter Kwakye-Ackah is on the Minority side, Kwadjo Asante Member of Parliament for Suhum on the Majority side likely to go independent. Whiles Member of Parliament for Agona West Mamle Cynthia Morrison on the Majority side has given indications of going independent.
“I will come here with a well written ruling, I will submit to all of you, so that at the end of the day justice will not only be done but will have been seen to be manifestly done in this matter”.
Again, when you plant evil, you will reap evil, so I want to take a few days to submit a reasoned ruling in this matter I see that this is not only an urgent matter but a very serious national issue and there is a good reason why the constitution after 1960 constitution differ because of the issues you are raising.
“Some said cross carpeting, others say crossing carpet; it is the same thing having gone through all these constitution and having gone through all the parliaments in the fourth Republic and having experienced all you have stated, I think I must do justice to the subject. So I need to present to you a very well taught out ruling so that tomorrow I will not either be crucified or hailed but the right thing would have been done”, the Speaker stated.
According to him, his attention was drawn to this by the leaders that it’s a serious matter and it is true that Mr. Haruna Iddrisu gave him a copy of a notice of a petition on this matter, “it was not a petition, it was a notice of petition and you know through our procedures how this should be processed. That is being done and that is different from the statement made by the Minority Leader Dr. Atto Forson. Despite the subject matter is the same the procedures are different”.
He further pointed out that the Majority Leader drew his attention for the fact that he has sued me, “me not Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin but Speaker of Parliament, that office and not me in person”.
Kindly give me two days and I will come here with a well written ruling I will submit to all of you so that at the end of the day justice will not only be done but will have been seen to be manifestly done in this matter, he added.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com