Government business, including the approval of loans and financial agreements, faces potential setbacks after Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin, declared four parliamentary seats vacant.
This ruling shifts the balance of power, making the National Democratic Congress (NDC) the majority in Parliament with 136 MPs, while the New Patriotic Party (NPP) now holds 135.
The NPP-led government, in need of parliamentary approval for key business matters such as loan agreements, may struggle without a majority. To proceed smoothly, the government must either lobby the NDC for cooperation or hope to overturn the Speaker’s decision in the Supreme Court.
The ruling affects NDC MP Peter Yaw Kwakye Ackah of Amenfi Central and NPP MPs Andrew Amoakoh Asiamah (Fomena), Kojo Asante (Suhum), and Cynthia Morrison (Agona West). Speaker Bagbin’s decision was based on Article 97 (1)(g) of the 1992 Constitution, which mandates that MPs who leave their parties or attempt to remain in Parliament as independents must vacate their seats.
Bagbin highlighted that the MPs in question had no business staying in Parliament once it was confirmed they were running independently. He also dismissed any binding precedent from former Speaker Prof Mike Oquaye’s decision to expel the Fomena MP in a similar situation, emphasizing that the law applies to the current parliament.
The declaration follows a petition from NDC MP Haruna Iddrisu, citing the constitutional provision for MPs vacating their seats. This move has sparked intense debate in Parliament, underscoring the political tension between the ruling NPP and the opposition NDC.
In the aftermath, legal scholars like Professor Kofi Abotsi of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) have emphasized that any citizen, not just political parties, can report MPs who violate the constitutional provision by crossing party lines or opting to run as independents. According to Abotsi, MPs are primarily agents of the Constitution, and actions deemed unconstitutional are automatically void.
The NPP faces a crucial test as it navigates the new political landscape, particularly when trying to pass crucial government business, including securing loans and financial deals, which are critical to driving the government’s agenda.
