The former president of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) Sam Okudzeto says he would have asked the National Democratic Congress NDC caucus in Parliament to go to court if they wanted the four seats to be declared vacant.
A five-member panel of the Supreme Court presided by the Chief Justice has approved a stay of execution of the ruling of the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin to announce the seats of four Members of Parliament (MPs) vacant over the switch of allegiance following an ex parte application by the majority leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin.
This follows Alban Bagbin officially declaring four parliamentary seats vacant. The affected constituencies are Amenfi Central, Fomena, Agona West, and Suhum.
In an interview on the Morning Starr with Naa Dedei Tettey, Mr. Okudzeto explained that any citizen who qualifies to vote has the right to apply to the high court to have seats declared vacant in accordance with the constitution.
He also added that any member of the house can go to the high court to have seats declared vacant.
The former GBA President further stated that if he was in the position of the speaker, he would have asked the NDC caucus to take the issue to court when it was raised.
“If I were in his (Speaker) position, I would, since I’m supposed to be a neutral person, a speaker, I would have asked those who were raising the issue, to go to the court, to go and get it. That’s what I would have done if I were in his position”, Mr. Okydzeto stated.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Jasmine Adjei Anyetei
