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Godfred Dame, the Attorney General (AG), has urged all parties to the dispute over the open parliamentary seats to follow the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, applied to the Court to reverse its previous decision over his announcement of vacant seats in the House, and the Court granted his request.
Since the MPs will be running in the next elections on party tickets different from the ones that got them into the House, the Speaker proclaimed four seats in parliament vacant: three NPP seats and one NDC seat.
On Tuesday, November 12, 2024, the Supreme Court declared that the Speaker’s proclamation of the seats vacant was unconstitutional, following around three weeks of discussion on the case.
“In a majority decision of five to two, with Lovelace Johnson JSC and Ahmadu Tanko JSC dissenting on the issue of jurisdiction, the plaintiff’s action succeeds,” said the Chief Justice (CJ) of the Supreme Court, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo
The Attorney General emphasized that “The Court has spoken in very clear and emphatic terms, and the only thing anybody has to do is respect the Court’s decision.”
Following the ruling, he said, is “the mark of a civilised democratic order,” adding that “it leaves no room for any argument.”
Following the CJ’s submission of the decision in the Supreme Court in Accra, the AG made these remarks to the press.
On November 13, the Chief Justice stated that the reasons for the decision, which would explain why the Speaker’s declaration is unconstitutional, would be made public.
“The full reasons and orders of the Court shall be filed with the Registrar by the close of business tomorrow, 13 November 2024. This is the judgment of the Court.” the CJ added.
According to the ruling, the NDC would stay in the minority till the next Parliament is formed, while the NPP will maintain its majority in Parliament.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
