South Dayi Member of Parliament (MP), Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has filed a writ at the Accra High Court against the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, over the vacant seat controversy.
The MP argues that the ruling is valid because the Speaker’s move is backed by provisions of Article 97(1)(g) and (h) of the 1992 Constitution.
Mr. Dafeamekpor is therefore praying the court to compel Speaker Bagbin to affirm his declaration on the four seats on Thursday, October 17, 2024.
In the writ of summons, the MP requested that the Speaker declare that the four legislators have vacated their seats to contest the upcoming election as independent candidates.
He also demanded that any composition of Parliament after the declaration involving the affected members is unlawful and illegal.
“An order should be directed at the Defendant to ensure that Mr. Andrew Amoako Asiamah, Member of Parliament for Fomena; Mrs. Cynthia Mamle Morrison, Member of Parliament for Agona West; Mr. Kwadwo Asante, Member of Parliament for Sohum; and Mr. Peter Yaw Kwakye-Ackah, Member of Parliament for Amenfi Central, no longer have access to the chamber of Parliament to participate in parliamentary proceedings.”
On October 18, the Supreme Court issued a stay of execution on Speaker Bagbin’s declaration regarding the four seats, following a petition by former Tamale South MP and former Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu.
The application to stay the ruling was based on an ex parte application filed at the apex court by NPP MPs.
This allowed the Court to consider the NPP MPs’ request without requiring the participation or response of the Speaker or other parliamentary authorities at this stage.
