John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has called for a political resolution to the ongoing parliamentary impasse over vacant seats, urging that the matter be settled without prolonged legal battles.
He proposed a collaborative approach, bringing together leaders from parliamentary caucuses, the Council of State, the Speaker of Parliament, and religious leaders expressing confidence that such a meeting could lead to a resolution.
Mahama’s remarks come amid the ongoing standoff following Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin’s decision to declare four parliamentary seats vacant based on his interpretation of Article 97(1)(g) of the Ghanaian Constitution. This move has sparked significant legal and political controversy.
Speaking to a gathering of clergy in the Ashanti Region on Monday, November 11, Mahama expressed concern about the growing friction between Ghana’s judiciary and Parliament, urging a diplomatic solution to the issue.
“Recently we have had a friction between the judiciary and parliament. We all know that these state institutions have the roles they play in the country, but it appears there’s a contest between the two. I think that the standoff is something we can solve politically. The solution is not legal,” he stated.
Mahama explained that while the Supreme Court may rule on the matter, Parliament might still have differing views, creating further complications.
“The Supreme Court can rule, and then Parliament can override it to say that we think otherwise. So, this requires that we get a political solution. If I were the president, I would have pushed for the case to be withdrawn from the court and then I called the leaders of the respective caucuses, together with the clergy, the council of state and the speaker himself. I am sure if they sit to discuss the impasse, they will get a solution.
“But more importantly, to avert such a situation from recurring, we have to look at the constitution. Because many of the things in there are clear, others are not and once there is a disagreement, we have to run to the Supreme Court for interpretation. So, once we can identify these, we can address them,” he stated.
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