Speaker has yielded to the authority of Supreme Court – Afenyo-Markin

Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, leader of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) members in Parliament, has said the Speaker of Parliament has earned his respect for yielding to the authority of the Supreme Court.

This concerns the declaration of some four seats in Parliament vacant which the apex court stayed after an ex parte motion was filed on the ruling by the leader of the NPP caucus.

He says the Speaker’s announcement to the House that he has been served the Supreme Court’s order is an indication that the Supreme Court’s order has been adhered to.

When asked what his caucus’ next move will be on Accra-based JoyNews Tuesday, October 22, 2024, after the Speaker adjourned sitting indefinitely, he said “first of all, Mr. Speaker has yielded to the authority of the Supreme Court. That has been established and I respect him for that.”

Afenyo-Markin added that the Speaker also disclosed his intention to consult widely on the developments, adding that he (Afenyo-Markin) will equally liaise with his caucus after Mr Bagbin gets back to him.

He, however, added that the Speaker did not specify the number of days he would need for the consultation. The Effutu MP said the Speaker’s response to him will determine the next line he will take with his caucus.

“Secondly, he tells me he wants to do some consultation because he thinks that there is tension in the House and he is going to adjourn since dies. What he hasn’t done is to tell us how many days he is going to need for his consultation. So, I will wait patiently upon him so that I know the next step to take in consultation with the caucus,” he added.

This follows the adjournment of the House by the Speaker indefinitely following the confusion that has rocked it since Thursday, October 17, 2024.

In the Speaker’s ruling, some four seats were declared vacant. The declaration subsequently reduced the membership of the governing NPP, which was then the Majority to 135, with the opposition NDC, who was the Minority, remaining with 136 members to assume the majority position.

Leader of the NPP caucus, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, filed an ex parte motion in the Supreme Court, where it ruled to suspend the ruling of the Speaker.

This created confusion, with both caucuses claiming to be the majority side of the House.

The Speaker adjourned the sitting indefinitely Tuesday when there was no quorum at the sitting.