Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, has noted that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) still holds the Majority in Parliament.
Speaking at the NDC Majority Caucus Press Conference on Sunday, 20th October, 2024 he stated that despite the Supreme Court’s ruling on October 18 to stay the execution of Speaker Bagbin’s declaration of four seats vacant, the party, is not aware of any law or constitutional provision that allows anyone to suspend a decision made by the Speaker in a properly constituted Parliament.
“What we know is that under article 2 and 130 of the constitution, the Supreme Court has jurisdiction to make a declaration as to whether or not an act is consistent or inconsistent with a provision, but to suspend a decision or directive of the Speaker in Parliament, we are not aware of the legal basis of a conduct like that” he added.
Reacting to the ruling by the Supreme Court, he said as MPs, they do not act on conversations from social media or the news but only a directive from the Speaker of Parliament.
“We act on the basis of communication coming to us from the Right Honourable Speaker. We listen only to the speaker and nobody else in relation to the integrity, the legality and the appropriateness of what has happened in the Chamber of Parliament,” he emphasized.
On Thursday, October 17, Speaker Alban Bagbin declared four parliamentary seats vacant after three of the sitting MPs chose to run as Independent Candidates with one independent candidate opting to contest on the ticket of the NPP in the 2024 elections.