The Member of Parliament for Bole-Bamboi, Yusif Sulemana, has issued a caution to the Supreme Court regarding its involvement in politically sensitive cases, arguing that such rulings could undermine Parliament’s independence and authority.
On October 18, 2024, the Supreme Court temporarily reversed the Speaker’s previous decision to declare four parliamentary seats vacant, permitting the affected MPs to retain their seats for now.
Following this ruling, Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin adjourned the House indefinitely, citing an insufficient number of members in the Chamber to conduct official business.
This adjournment has fueled further debate around the tensions within Parliament and the potential impact on pending legislative matters.
The session, originally scheduled to address the revocation of L.I. 2462, saw both New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) members ready to resume their roles.
However, the NPP caucus staged a walk-out amid disputes over which party should occupy the majority side, given the NDC’s apparent numerical advantage following the Speaker’s declaration of vacant seats.
In an interview on Citi News, Mr. Sulemana voiced criticism of the Supreme Court’s ruling, stating that it infringes upon Parliament’s autonomy.
He expressed concern that such judicial intervention sets a troubling precedent, potentially paving the way for future external challenges to Parliament’s decisions based on political convenience.
“This act infringes on our rights as parliament…the Supreme Court must be careful in making such decisions because for me, judiciary independence is very important and where we are getting to, we would need to be very cautious”, he stated.
He also argued that the attitude of the NPP displayed a sense of entitlement and a reluctance to acknowledge their changing role in Parliament.
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