Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has strongly criticized Speaker Alban Bagbin, accusing him of failing Ghana’s democracy.
The remarks came after the Supreme Court ruled that it would deliver a judgment of a contentious case involving vacant parliamentary seats to Tuesday, November 12.
Addressing the press following the adjournment, Afenyo-Markin expressed his dissatisfaction with Speaker Bagbin’s handling of a situation in which members of the Minority caucus took over seats on the Majority side of the House.
According to Afenyo-Markin, Speaker Bagbin has ignored the issue, allowing NDC MPs to sit on the right-hand side of the House, traditionally reserved for the Majority caucus.
Afenyo-Markin’s comments highlight the ongoing political tension in Parliament, which has been exacerbated by the controversy over the vacant seats declared by Speaker Bagbin.
The Majority Leader emphasized that the Speaker’s reluctance to act on this issue has contributed to confusion and undermined the authority of the Majority caucus.
“The clerk of parliament made sure that he had arranged our seats at the right of Mr Speaker and placed our name tags there. The NDC came to remove them. Mr. Speaker was aware of this. He watched and continued with the proceedings, where I think Mr. Speaker failed the nation and failed our democracy.”
“…You come into the chamber as the head of the assembly, you see one group of people sitting on the other group’s seat and you pretend you have not seen it. You have dislodged them and rather spin it to say that the majority that called for the recall had refused to be in the chamber. To be in the chamber to sit where?”
The Majority Leader’s remarks come amid heightened tensions within Parliament, as the nation awaits the Supreme Court’s decision on the legality of the Speaker’s actions regarding the vacant seats.
With the court ruling just around the corner, all eyes remain on the legal and political developments, which are set to have significant implications for Ghana’s parliamentary procedures and democratic processes.
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