Speaker requests time to deliver reasoned ruling on Article 97 petition

The Speaker of Parliament has postponed the decision on a petition calling for the declaration of four parliamentary seats as vacant.

This postponement came after hearing arguments from both the Majority and Minority parties regarding the petition filed by former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu.

Iddrisu’s petition invokes Article 97 (1)(g) of the Constitution, which requires a Member of Parliament to vacate their seat if they either leave the political party they were elected under or attempt to stay in Parliament as an independent candidate. This particular petition targets three MPs from the Majority and one MP from the NDC.

Following intense debate in the House on Tuesday, Speaker Bagbin requested an additional two days to deliver a detailed ruling. He assured the Parliament that the ruling would ensure fairness and transparency.

"Allow me these two days, and I will present a thorough ruling to all of you. This will guarantee that justice is not only done but also clearly seen to be done," he stated.

Earlier in the day, Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin filed an injunction with the Supreme Court to counter the Minority’s attempts to have the seats of independent MPs vacated.

However, the Speaker noted that he had not yet received the relevant court documents. When Afenyo-Markin sought permission to present his suit, Speaker Bagbin refused, labeling it an abuse of the parliamentary process. "I decline to grant you leave," the Speaker firmly told the Majority Leader.