Speaker is expected to protect his integrity, Kwame Adofo

Legal practitioner Kwame Adofo has expressed confidence that the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, will respect the Supreme Court’s ‘stay of execution‘ order concerning the vacating of four parliamentary seats.

These seats belong to Members of Parliament (MPs) who have taken independent stances, and Adofo believes the Speaker will act to uphold the rule of law.

Speaking on AsaasePa Radio’s flagship programme, Atumpan, on Monday (21 October), Adofo noted that the legal department of the Speaker’s office has already been served the court’s order.

The ruling instructs Parliament to maintain the status quo, including keeping the current majority and minority composition, until the court issues its final decision.

“I am not sure the Speaker of Parliament would like to be cited for contempt of court,” Adofo remarked, adding that he was hopeful the National Democratic Congress (NDC) caucus would remain calm following the notice.

Adofo referenced Article 97(1)(g) of the Constitution, which states that an MP may lose their seat if they switch political parties or declare themselves independent. 

However, he clarified that the four MPs in question have yet to formally communicate their intentions to Parliament. 

Adofo further highlighted that Article 99 gives the court the ultimate authority to declare a parliamentary seat vacant, stressing the importance of respecting the court’s order and process.

In a related development, former Manhyia North MP, Collins Owusu Amankwaa has described the current parliament as the “worst in history.” 

Speaking on the same programme, Amankwaa criticised the conduct of MPs since they were sworn in, alleging that some have incited constituents to defy parliamentary orders ahead of the sitting on Tuesday (22 October).

“Some MPs have wrongly incited their constituents to act against orders in their favour and this is a sign that there will be various forms of the disorder before and during the elections,” Amankwaa said.

He emphasised that the Constitution must take precedence over Parliament’s standing orders in matters of law and governance. 

He also pointed out that the four MPs are yet to formally notify their political parties of their decision to go independent.

Amankwaa called for patience and fairness from the Speaker as the issue unfolds, warning that how the matter is handled will have lasting consequences.

Reporting by Nhyira Kwabi Angela in Greater Accra

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