The Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South, Samuel Atta-Akyea, has urged respect for the Supreme Court’s ruling, which overturned Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin’s decision to declare four parliamentary seats vacant.
He cautioned that disregarding the court’s decision would amount to lawlessness and undermine the rule of law.
Speaking on The Big Issue on Channel One TV, Mr. Atta-Akyea stressed that the Speaker’s adherence to the ruling is crucial for safeguarding Ghana’s democratic framework.
He added that compliance with the judgment would uphold the integrity of the nation’s parliamentary and judicial systems, ensuring stability during periods of political deadlock.
“Even the Supreme Court hasn’t gotten supremacy over the Constitution. It is what the Constitution says that we all should comply with for the sanity of our democratic dispensation. This is very critical, do you know what that means?
“It means that it’s not the pleasure of a man to go his way. Like a Christian saying I don’t believe in the Bible, but I’m a Christian. Like a Muslim saying I don’t believe in the Quran, how do you become a Muslim then? When did the legislature become a court? Can a sitting Speaker of Parliament make judicial pronouncements?. For me, it is the rule of law which has prevailed and it is important.”
On Tuesday, November 12, the Supreme Court overturned the decision made by Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin to declare four parliamentary seats vacant. This ruling was in favor of a challenge presented by Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
In a comprehensive judgment issued on Thursday, November 14, the five justices who supported the Majority Leader emphasized that a parliamentary seat may only be deemed vacant if a lawmaker changes political parties while maintaining their position in Parliament.
The ruling additionally indicated that the Speaker’s decision would not be implemented during the present parliamentary term.
Nonetheless, two justices expressed dissent, contending that the Supreme Court did not possess the jurisdiction to hear the case, thereby underscoring a divergence in the understanding of the Court’s authority regarding these issues.
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