Insufficient Numbers: Speaker Bagbin Adjourns House Indefinitely

The Speaker of Parliament,  Alban Bagbin has adjourned the House indefinitely due to insufficient numbers to make decisions for today’s sitting.

Alban Bagbin indicated to the House that they have enough numbers to conduct the business of the day but admitted it was not enough to make decisions.

The Speaker announced he received a communication from the Supreme Court on his earlier ruling. However, Bagbin declined to elaborate on the content of the communication. The Speaker on October 17 declared four seats in parliament as vacant.

But the Supreme Court intervened and directed the Speaker to allow the four MPs to continue to represent their constituents until a final decision is arrived at. The Speaker declared the four seats vacant because the affected lawmakers have decided to cross carpets to either stand as independent candidates or switch to a particular party to be elected in December 7 elections.

Below are the four MPs and their constituencies:

1. Cynthia Morrison, the current NPP MP for Ayawaso West Constituency. She has field to run as an independent candidate.
2. Kwadwo Asante, incumbent MP for Suhum constituency who has also field to stand as an independent candidate.
3. Andrew Asiamah Amoako, an independent MP for Fomena constituency in the Ashanti Region who has field to run for the NPP in the coming election.
4. Peter Kwakye Ackah (Amenfi Central), NDC.

In the wake of this unfolding events, the former minority leader Haruna Idrissu petitioned the Speaker to declare seats of MPs who decide to leave their party under which they were elected or attempt to remain in parliament as independent vacant. He called on the Speaker to invoke Article 97 (1)(g) of the Constitution. However, Afenyo-Markin filed a suit at the Supreme Court against the petition filed by Haruna Iddrisu and for that matter, the Supreme Court stayed the ruling of the Speaker.

But, the NDC side has indicated they will only abide by the ruling of the Speaker which declared four seats vacant, a decision which now makes them the majority in parliament.