NDC MPs To Disrupt Parliamentary Sitting Again?

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament (MPs), appear to be plotting yet another strategy, which will extend the current indefinite suspension of parliamentary sitting.

It follows Tuesday, November 12, landmark ruling by the Supreme Court, that it was unconstitutional the declaration of some four seats vacant by Rt. Hon Speaker, Alban Kingsford Sumani Bagbin.

The apex court’s ruling, which seems to ruffle feathers of the Minority NDC MPs, has left some of them revealing what their next plan, would be when the House is recalled.

Outgoing MP for Odododiodioo, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpujie, who first gave the hint said most of his colleagues, have decided not to respond to any call on them to return to the House.

According to the former Youth and Sports Minister, he and his colleagues, “do not care about the ruling of the Supreme Court”.

He described the 5:2 majority verdict of the justices as unfortunate, lamenting that many Ghanaians, hold the view that the issue, should not have even ended up at the apex court.

“It is unfortunate that the Supreme Court would give a verdict like this. When it is so obvious to every Ghanaian that this issue does not need interpretation.  Any class 6 pupil can read this article and understand this. But they decided to give an interpretation.

Many Ghanaians, will tell you they are not happy about the ruling. Coming on the heels of the Mo Ibrahim report, one would have thought that, the Supreme Court would use this to restore some image to itself. But they further pushed their image and integrity into the barn, so I am not worried”.

He further, dared the court to order the House to sit, adding none of his colleagues, will respond to recall of Parliament.

“If the Supreme Court says they have the authority to change the status quo in Parliament, then they should arrogate to themselves the power to order Parliament to sit tomorrow. No MP from our side will respond to any call to leave the field and come to the House. We are not robots to be pushed here and there,” Mr Vanderpuyie stated in an interview on TV3’s News 360 on November 12.

The MP, who gave a bit of conversations between his colleagues to the general public, remarked that “about 99% of our members on our platform, have said that we will not respond to any recall of Parliament.”

Nii Lante, however, noted, “we will respond to a call by the Speaker of Parliament, and we will evaluate that call, look at the timing and see whether it is convenient for us.”

In the view of the Minority whip and MP for Adaklu constituency, Governs Kwame Agbodza, he associates with views of investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni, who slammed the apex court over it ruling.

In a post hours after the ruling, Manasseh, accused the court of consistencies.

“When Parliament didn’t sit for a few days, the Chief Justice called it a constitutional crisis, she’s leading a panel of judges to expedite the case brought to the apex court by the aggrieved NPP side in Parliament.

When the same Parliament passed a law in February and the Parliament refused to receive it for signing into law, the Supreme Court is taking forever to settle that case before it. Proponents of the law recently protested against the delay in hearing that case. In the NPP’s parliamentary case, the same court is sprinting”, part of his post read.

Meanwhile, the speaker aside not filing his statement in court, has been quiet since the ruling.

According to report, Mr Bagbin, has been out of the country, since he adjourned the House sine die.

It is unclear, where he traveled to and for what reason and when he will return. It is also unclear, if he will recall parliament by himself or he will wait for the Majority side led by Alex Afenyo-Markin, to trigger the recall.

The Effutu MP, has also traveled outside the country, after he received a favourable outcome from the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

He is said to have travelled to meet, President Akufo-Addo and the Finance Minister, who are already out of the country in Azerbaijan for the World Climate Leaders’ Summit, on the way forward.

Per the ruling of the court, the status quo in parliament before the announcement of the vacant seats remains the same.

Source: Anchorghana.com