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Ghana Supreme Court Overturns Parliament Speaker's Ruling
Ghana's Supreme Court overturns Parliament Speaker's decision to vacate four MP seats, resolving a political crisis and clarifying constitutional ambiguities.
English
United Kingdom
PoliticsAfricaLawCourtParliamentConstitution
Ghana Supreme CourtGhana ParliamentNppNdcGhanaian Attorney General's Office
Alban BagbinGodfred Yeboah DameAlexander Afenyo-MarkinCassiel Ato ForsonPeter Yaw Kwakye-Ackah
- What are the broader implications of this legal case?
- The case highlights tensions between different branches of Ghana's government and the complexities of interpreting the constitution regarding party switching by MPs. The outcome has significant implications for the balance of power in parliament.
- How did the Supreme Court's decision resolve the political stalemate?
- The Supreme Court's decision resolved the confusion, paving the way for parliament to resume normal business. The court's interpretation of the constitution clarified the process for dealing with MPs switching parties mid-term.
- What constitutional basis did the Speaker use to declare the seats vacant?
- The Speaker's decision stemmed from Article 97(1)(g) of the constitution, based on the four MPs' intention to contest the upcoming election under different parties. This action altered the parliamentary majority, initially giving the opposition NDC a majority.
- What was the impact of the Speaker's ruling on the parliamentary majority?
- The ruling sparked weeks of confusion and clashes over the parliamentary majority between the NPP and NDC parties. The Speaker initially argued that the court could not interfere with Parliament's operations, but the court ultimately prevailed.
- What was the Supreme Court's decision regarding the Parliament Speaker's ruling?
- The Supreme Court of Ghana overturned Parliament Speaker Alban Bagbin's ruling that declared four MPs' seats vacant. The court deemed the Speaker's reliance on a 2020 ruling unconstitutional in a 5-2 majority decision.