Majority Caucus will boycot Parliament- Afenyo Markin

The leader of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Parliament, Afenyo Markin, has reacted to the ruling of the Speaker’s ruling on the four seats yesterday.

The Speaker, Alban Bagbin, declared four seats vacant yesterday following a motion by MP for Tamale South Haruna Iddrisu.

With the ruling, the Minority would assume the reins of the majority.

Thursday evening’s ruling by the Speaker means the NDC now has the majority seats in Parliament with 136 seats, while the NPP now has 135 seats.

However, Alexander Afenyo Markin noted that until the matter is determined by the Highest Court of the land, the Supreme Court, the NPP MPs will boycott Parliament.

According to him, the Speaker has no right to make such ruling.

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme

Speaker adjourns Parliament indefinitely

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has today adjourned the house indefinitely.

The Speaker cited lack of sufficient Members of Parliament to take decisions and the controversy about the composition of the house.

Additionally, he said he referred to the Supreme Court injunction on his decision last Thursday which declared four seats vacant.

Presiding over Parliament in the absence of the NPP MPs, he said “Yesterday I received a process from the Supreme Court directing parliament to recognize the four effected members of parliament to duly represent their constituents and conduct full scope of duties of their offices as Members of Parliament pending the final determination of a suit filed by Alexander Afenyo Markin.

He further added that “By Article 102 of the 1992 Constitution and order 64(1) of Standings I note that we currently have a quorum to do business, but not to take decisions.”

The Speaker added that “But by Article 104, the numbers are not sufficient to take a decision.I quote Article 104(1) says, Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, matters in Parliament shall be determined by the votes of the majority of members present and voting, with at least half of all the members of Parliament present.”

The Speaker in his co concluding remarks said, “Hon Members, we don’t have half of all the members, consequently in view of the current circumstance, the fact that there is a question on the composition of parliament and having regard to the public interest and the exigencies of the state of affairs in Parliament I will proceed to in accordance with standing orders 59 adjourn the house indefinitely.”

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme

News

Treat with disdain attempt to smear Speaker- Parliament

According to Parliament, their attention has been drawn to a video circulating on social media insinuating that the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has been invited to a meeting with the President to negotiate a settlement in respect of the pronouncement by the Rt. Hon. Speaker on Thursday, October 17, 2024.

This is in response to a call by the Minority Leader to declare the seats of four (4) Members of Parliament vacant.

“Parliament states without any equivocation that there is no iota of truth in the insinuation
in the cireulated video,” the statement added.

Parliament further stated that “video in question was taken on July 4, 2024, when the Rt.Hon. Speaker led a delegation to present the maiden democracy cup to the President.”

According to the statement, “The attempt to wrongly label the video and twist facts to impugn the integrity of the Rt. Hon.Speaker and Parliament is not only disingenuous but unfortunate.”

“The general public is hereby advised to ignore the attempt to hoodwink them into believing what has never transpired and treat the narrative with the contempt it deserves,” they concluded.