Speaker Alban Bagbin met with President Nana Akufo-Addo to discuss a settlement regarding the four vacant parliamentary seats. The article mentions that the parliamentary administration labelled such reports as “false” and “misleading.” They urged the public to ignore the claims, which suggests that no negotiations or settlements occurred between the Speaker and the President over the ongoing political dispute regarding the declared vacancies in Parliament.
This statement reflects the heightened tensions and misinformation surrounding the current political situation in Ghana’s Parliament, where both the NPP and NDC are navigating the effects of the declared vacancies on their control of the house. There has been significant controversy in Ghana’s Parliament recently regarding Speaker Alban Bagbin’s decision to declare four parliamentary seats vacant. The affected constituencies include Fomena, Amenfi Central, Suhum, and Agona West. The Speaker’s decision was based on the MPs’ intention to contest the upcoming elections as independent candidates, which led to tensions between the Majority and Minority Caucuses.
On October 17, 2024, the Majority Caucus, dissatisfied with this decision, staged a walkout from Parliament in protest. This move caused further division, and the ruling was temporarily stayed by the Supreme Court.
Amid these events, rumours were claiming that Speaker Bagbin held a meeting with President Akufo-Addo to negotiate a settlement regarding the vacant seats. However, Parliament has firmly refuted these claims. It clarified that the footage circulating online showing the Speaker and the President together was from a different event in July 2024 and not related to any recent negotiations.
This situation has sparked heated debate and is being closely monitored by the public, with both sides of Parliament seeking a resolution. There has been considerable political tension in Ghana’s parliament following Speaker Alban Bagbin’s ruling that declared four parliamentary seats vacant. The affected MPs, who either switched political allegiances or declared their intention to run as independents, were ruled to have vacated their seats according to Ghana’s constitutional provisions. This decision was made under Article 97(1)(g), which mandates MPs to vacate their seats if they change their political party.
However, the ruling was immediately challenged. Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin took legal action, and the Supreme Court granted a stay of execution on the Speaker’s ruling, effectively putting the decision on hold. This move prevents any further action based on the Speaker’s declaration until the court reviews the matter. The legal suspension helps maintain the current balance of power in Parliament, ensuring that the NPP retains its majority status until a final ruling is made.
In the meantime, there were also reports claiming that Speaker Bagbin held a meeting with President Akufo-Addo to negotiate a settlement regarding the vacant seats. These claims were swiftly denied by Parliament, which issued a statement calling the reports “false” and “misleading”.
