Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, Member of Parliament for Odododiodoo and a leading figure in Ghana’s National Democratic Congress (NDC), has announced that the NDC minority caucus will not return to Parliament until after the December general elections. This stance follows a Supreme Court decision reversing Speaker Alban Bagbin’s declaration of four parliamentary seats as vacant, sparking controversy between Ghana’s major political factions.

The Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday, November 12, that Speaker Bagbin overstepped his authority by declaring the seats vacant without judicial oversight. Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin challenged Bagbin’s interpretation of Article 97(1)(g) of the Constitution, arguing it bypassed the judiciary’s role and prevented by-elections in the affected constituencies. Previously, the court had issued an injunction to pause Bagbin’s ruling, a decision Bagbin contested, asserting that parliamentary decisions should not fall under judicial review. The Supreme Court, however, upheld its stance, dismissing Bagbin’s declaration.

In a recent interview with Channel One TV, Vanderpuye criticised the recall of Parliament, calling it a misuse of taxpayer funds and asserting that the minority caucus would dedicate their time to election preparations.

“They should not waste taxpayers’ money by asking us to come to Parliament in the next three weeks. We are not coming. Our priority is the upcoming election, and we’ll return to parliamentary duties only after that,” he stated.

Vanderpuye also underscored that the matter of parliamentary majority is determined by house numbers, not the Supreme Court or the ruling party. “This is not for the NPP or the Supreme Court to decide. The numbers will speak for themselves when Parliament resumes. When Speaker Bagbin declared them the majority, did they seek validation from the Supreme Court?” he added.

Source:TheDotNews