Claim for Parliamentary Majority Leaves Ghana’s Parliament in Constitutional Stalemate

ACCRA: In a significant political development, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Tamale South, has labeled the ongoing dispute over which party holds the parliamentary majority as a constitutional stalemate. The impasse between the NDC and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Caucus has prompted calls for intervention by Ghana's Supreme Court for a resolution. According to Ghana News Agency, the stalemate emerged after Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin indefinitely adjourned Parliament. This decision followed a Supreme Court ruling, which arose from an ex parte application, mandating Parliament to recognize four MPs whose seats were declared vacant by the Speaker. These MPs, representing the Amenfi Central, Fomena, Agona West, and Suhum Constituencies, were accused of breaching Article 97(1)(g) and (h) of the 1992 Constitution. Article 97(1) dictates that a Member of Parliament must vacate their seat if they either leave their party to join another or seek to r emain as an independent member, or if they were elected as an independent candidate and subsequently join a political party. The Speaker's initial ruling on October 17, in response to a significant parliamentary and constitutional matter raised by Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, NDC Minority Leader, declared these seats vacant. This action left the NPP Caucus with 135 MPs and the NDC Caucus with 136 MPs. However, on October 19, the Supreme Court overruled the Speaker's decision, allowing the affected MPs to resume their parliamentary duties. Consequently, on October 22, Speaker Bagbin formally communicated the House's adjournment, stating that while the numbers were sufficient to conduct business, they were inadequate for decision-making. The NDC Caucus occupied the Majority side of the Chamber, while the NPP retired to their offices.