The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD- Ghana) has encouraged the Speaker and Parliament to fully comply with the Supreme Court’s decision, notwithstanding disagreements with the ruling.
The center also urged the speaker and parliament to retain the option to seek a review of the court’s decision, where necessary.
CDD- Ghana in a press statement called for restraint and peace following the Supreme Court’s directives on the matter of vacant seats ahead of today’s sitting.
“The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has closely monitored recent developments in Parliament since October 15, 2024, when the Minority Leader, Hon. Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, invoked Article 97(1)(g) of the 1992 Constitution to raise concerns about the presumed vacation of four (4) parliamentary seats”.
“The Center equally followed the Speaker of Parliament’s subsequent declaration on October 17, 2024, that vacancies had indeed occurred concerning the seats of those four (4) MPs-two (2) from the NPP, one from the NDC, and one independent.”
The statement added that, “it has also followed, with keen interest, Majority Leader, Hon. Alexander Afenyo-Markin’s application to the Supreme Court challenging the Speaker’s authority to declare the vacancies and the Court’s subsequent intervention on October 18, 2024, staying the Speaker’s ruling and directing Parliament to allow the affected MPs to continue with the performance of their duties until the case is fully determined”.
CDD- Ghana has strongly urged all Members of Parliament, political parties, the Executive and the media to act with maximum restraint.