Ahead of the official commencement of Parliamentary proceedings today, Tuesday, October 22, 2024, both members of National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs have taken up seats on the majority side of the House, leaving the minority side completely vacant.
The unusual development follows the tango over which side constitutes the Majority side following the ruling by the Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin and the counter by the Supreme Court ordering the Stay of Execution.
XYZ Broadcasting Ltd’s Odeefuor Berchie reports that many of the NDC MPs including Dr Cassel Ato Forson, his deputy Kofi Asrmah Buah, Chief Whip Kwame Agbodza are all present.
He reports that the NPP Caucus Deputy Whip, Habib Iddrisu, occupied the Majority Leader’s seat, preventing the NDC Caucus leader from sitting there.
However, the NDC MPs swiftly moved the Minority Leader’s black chair from their side to the majority side, allowing their leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, to take his place as Majority leader.
The atmosphere in Parliament is however cordial contrary to expectations of a possible faceoff or fisticuffs over the leadership crisis.
The stalemate in Parliament over which Parliamentary caucus constitutes the Majority is fuelling tension amidst appeals for cool heads to prevail to prevent chaos or any action that could disturb the peace of the country.
There is heavy deployment of armed Police and Military personnel with sniffer dogs while all Members of Parliament are to be thoroughly screened before given access to the Chamber.
All media personnel are to go through same protocol arrangements while the public gallery will be closed, according to a statement issued late last night.
This latest development follows the declaration by Speaker Bagbin that four parliamentary seats—three held by the NPP and one by the NDC—were vacant, shifting the balance of power in Parliament.
By that ruling, the NDC has 136 seats constituting the Majority side as the NPP side has reduced to 135.
However, on Friday, October 18, the Supreme Court issued a stay of execution on Speaker Bagbin’s decision, ruling that the four MPs must be allowed to continue representing their constituencies until the court reaches a final decision.
Despite the court’s ruling, the NDC caucus has refused to relinquish its newly claimed majority status, arguing that the judiciary cannot interfere with the operations of Parliament, which functions as an independent arm of government.
