Private legal practitioner, Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe, has expressed his shock over the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) posture over Speaker Alban Bagbin’s declaration of four seats vacant.
In an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, the Director of Legal Affairs for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe, asserted that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) must go to Mfantsipim School for a refresher course, citing its motto, Dwen Hwɛ Kan, which means “Think and Look Ahead.”
Tamakloe stated that the current situation mirrors what occurred when Fomena MP, Andrew Asiamah’s seat was declared vacant in 2020. He emphasized that the NPP, due to a lack of foresight, failed to anticipate a similar scenario in the future, leading to their hasty decision.
“The NPP must go to Mfantsipim for a year-long refresher course to learn to think ahead because most of their actions turn out to be short-sighted, and that is what has brought us here,” he said.
“If Prof. Mike Oquaye had that foresight and thought ahead, he would have been concerned about the legal precedent his decision set. But he was so willing to please Akufo-Addo,” he added.
Raising concerns over Article 9 of the NPP’s constitution, Tamakloe questioned the fairness of the process and the implications it may have for parliamentary democracy in Ghana.
The declaration on October 17 caused tension in Parliament, halting the extraordinary sittings of the House.
Article 97(1)(g) and (h) of the Constitution, which were invoked by the Speaker of Parliament to declare the four seats vacant, states that a Member of Parliament (MP) vacates his seat if he “leaves the party of which he was a member at the time of his election to Parliament to join another party or seeks to remain in Parliament as an independent member,” or “if he was elected as an independent candidate and joins a political party.”
The decision effectively ended the tenure of the four MPs – Cynthia Mamle Morrison (NPP) for Agona West; Kwadjo Asante (NPP) for Suhum; Peter Kwakye-Ackah (NDC) for Wassa Amenfi Central; and Andrew Asiamah Amoako (Independent) for Fomena.
Dissatisfied with the declaration, Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin sought the interpretation of the Supreme Court.
Bringing finality to the matter, the apex court, in a 5:2 majority decision on Tuesday, November 12, overruled the Speaker’s declaration, describing it as unconstitutional.
Listen to Edudzi Tamakloe in the audio above:
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