The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has expressed concern over what he perceives as a troubling trend of judicial and executive interference in parliamentary affairs, stating that recent actions from these branches appear to undermine the authority of Ghana’s Parliament.
He warns that this dynamic, which he views as a form of power play, threatens the democratic structure and the balance of powers that Ghanaians have long strived to uphold.
His concerns follow the Supreme Court ruling that reinforced an earlier decision preventing him from declaring four parliamentary seats vacant, intensifying the national debate over the constitutional limitations of his powers as Speaker and the broader implications of judicial influence on parliamentary matters.
In response to the ruling, Bagbin filed an application challenging the Court’s intervention. He argued that Parliament, as a separate and independent branch of government, should have the exclusive authority to make its own determinations without external judicial interference. His application also sought to nullify a petition from Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, which had sought judicial intervention to prevent the Speaker from making further declarations on the disputed parliamentary seats.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, November 6, he cautioned that this judicial and executive involvement in parliamentary affairs threatens to destabilize Ghana’s democracy. He emphasized the critical need for legislative autonomy, suggesting that judicial interference in Parliament’s internal matters risks eroding the separation of powers that the Constitution guarantees.
He has called on the public to stay vigilant in protecting the independence of each government branch, stressing that legislative authority is essential for safeguarding Ghana’s democratic foundations. He cautioned that any erosion of parliamentary autonomy could set a dangerous precedent, ultimately weakening democracy in Ghana.