Speaker adjourns house indefinitely

The Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has adjourned the House indefinitely citing the lack of a quorum as the reason for halting the session.

He took the decision on Tuesday, October 22 after announcing that he received a communication from the Supreme Court on his earlier ruling declaring the four seats vacant.

The Speaker however did not go into detail regarding the contents of the communication received from the apex court.

The Supreme Court on Friday, October 18 directed Parliament to recognise and allow the four MPs to continue to serve as lawmakers until the case is determined. This was after the Speaker had, on Thursday, October 17, declared four seats in Parliament vacant.

The constituencies and the lawmakers are:

1. Cynthia Morrison, the current NPP MP for Agona West constituency in the Central Region, who has filed to run as an independent candidate.
2. Kwadwo Asante, the current NPP MP for the Suhum constituency in the Eastern Region, who has also filed to run as an independent candidate.

3. Andrew Asiamah Amoako, currently an independent MP for the Fomena constituency in the Ashanti Region, who has filed to run in the upcoming election as a candidate for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

4. Peter Kwakye Ackah (Amenfi Central), NDC.

The former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu had petitioned the Speaker to declare the seats vacant by invoking Article 97 (1)(g) of the Constitution which stipulates that a lawmaker must vacate their seat if they leave the party under which they were elected or attempt to remain in Parliament as an independent candidate. The Majority Leader Afenyo-Markin had filed a suit at the Supreme Court against the petition filed by Haruna Iddrisu.

But the National Democratic Congress (NDC) lawmakers said that they would stick to the ruling of the speaker declaring four seats vacant, a ruling that makes them the Majority in Parliament.

This is despite the Supreme Court order that stays the execution of the ruling of Speaker Alban Bagbin,