John Jinapor, the Member of Parliament for Yapei-Kusawgu, claims that Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the Majority Leader, acted rashly in seeking a Supreme Court injunction to stop Speaker Alban Bagbin from making decisions about the destiny of four MPs because he was afraid of becoming the Minority Leader.
He claims that if Speaker Bagbin grants the petition, Mr. Afenyo-Markin is concerned about the change in the balance of power in parliament.
Parliament discussed the petition submitted by Haruna Iddrisu, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale South, on Tuesday, October 15. The petition demanded that the seats of one National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP and three New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs be declared empty.
During the debate, several MPs cited Prof Oquaye’s previous ruling regarding the Fomena MP, Andrews Asiamah, and urged the current Speaker, Alban Bagbin, to apply the same principle.
To contest a plea by a Tamale South MP about the status of four members of parliament, the Majority Leader has, nevertheless, filed an application for an injunction before the Supreme Court.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Mr. Jinapor highlighted that the NPP would lose its majority in Parliament and Afenyo-Markin would become the Minority Leader if Speaker Bagbin decides in accordance with Mr. Oquaye’s 2020 ruling.
The member of parliament stated that Mr. Afenyo-Markin’s main worry is this.
“This whole thing boils down to politics. When former Speaker Mike Oquaye in 2020 ruled that based on the fact that the Fomena MP had filed to contest as an independent candidate and hence couldn’t hold himself as a Member of Parliament the NPP MPs and members were very happy. At the time there was no issue that it must come from the political party.
“For them, Mike Oquaye espoused the tenets of Article 97, and as far as I am concerned it has not changed. And don’t forget that there is an NDC MP on the list, the only challenge is that if Speaker Bagbin rules in consonance with what Mike Oquaye ruled, it means that the Majority will turn into a Minority and that is the worry,” he said on Thursday.
Mr Jinapor also criticised the Majority Leader for taking the matter to the Supreme Court while the Speaker was still deliberating on the issue.
Mr Jinapor expressed doubt that the Supreme Court would grant the injunction but warned that if it did, it would fuel perceptions that the court was biased.
“Afenyo-Markin is rushing to the Supreme Court to put an injunction on the Speaker because he knows he could become the Minority Leader. What he is doing is very funny and unfortunate.
“And if they do so, it will further strengthen this strong suspicion that the Supreme Court is not being fair, and we would have every justification to hold that view,” he added.
Source: myjoyonline.com