The Member of Parliament for Dormaa East constituency, Paul Apraku Twum-Barimah, has launched a strong criticism against Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, accusing him of showing disrespect towards the Supreme Court.
The tension between the Minority and Majority Caucuses in Parliament escalated, with the Minority taking over seats traditionally occupied by the Majority. This move further intensified the already strained relationship between the two sides.
The decision by the minority to occupy the majority’s seats is viewed as a direct response to Speaker Alban Bagbin’s recent ruling, in which he declared four parliamentary seats vacant on October 17. This ruling significantly reduced the NPP’s numbers and shifted the balance of power in favor of the NDC.
Following the ruling, the NDC now holds 136 seats, making them the de facto majority in the Chamber, while the NPP retains 135 seats. The vacant seats consist of two from the NPP, one from the NDC, and one held by an independent MP.
In response to the Speaker’s ruling, the Majority quickly contested it, with Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin filing an appeal with the Supreme Court. The Court intervened on October 18, issuing a stay on the Speaker’s ruling and allowing the affected MPs to continue their duties until a final decision is made.
A five-member panel of the Supreme Court, led by the Chief Justice, granted a stay of execution on the Speaker’s ruling to declare the seats of four Members of Parliament vacant. This decision came after an ex parte application by Majority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin.
In light of the ongoing disputes between MPs from the NPP and NDC, Speaker Alban Bagbin announced an indefinite adjournment of parliamentary proceedings on Tuesday, October 22. This decision followed a tumultuous day in the Chamber marked by heated disagreements over which caucus holds the majority.
Source: oyerepafmonline.com
