Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu in the Central Region, Alexander Afenyo Markin, has filed an application at the Supreme Court against the Speaker of Parliament and the Attorney General seeking to stop the Speaker of Parliament from pronouncing on an application by the Minority in Parliament.
The Minority side of the House is asking the Speaker to declare the seat of Andrew Asiamah Amoako, the 2nd Deputy Speaker and Member of Parliament for Fomena, vacant, following his decision to contest the 2024 parliamentary elections on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), having contested the 2020 elections as an independent candidate. They are also seeking to get the Speaker to declare the seat of Mamle Morrison the current New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Agona West constituency in the Central Region vacant as well following her decision to contest as an independent candidate in the 2024 parliamentary elections.
Afenyo Markin in his application filed at the registry of the Supreme Court on Tuesday, 15 October 2024, is seeking “a declaration that upon the true and proper interpretation of the 1992 Constitution in the light of Articles 2(1), 12(1) and (2), 17(1), 21(1)(b) and I, 35(1) and (5), 55, 97(1)(g), 130(a), 296(a) and (b) of the 1992 Constitution and Rule 45 of the Supreme Court Rules, 1996 (C.I.16);
“a) The filing of nomination of Hon. Andrew Asiamah Amoako, the current Independent Member of Parliament for Fomena constituency in the Ashanti Region with the Electoral Commission to contest the Fomena Parliamentary seat on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party in the next or 9th Parliament of the Republic of Ghana does not amount to vacation of his seat as a Member of Parliament in the current 8” Parliament of the Republic of Ghana as an independent Member to join another party;
“b) The filing of nomination of Hon. Mamle Morrison the current New Patriotic Party’s Member of Parliament for Agona West constituency in the Central Region with the Electoral Commission to contest the Agona West Parliamentary seat as an Independent candidate for the next or 9th Parliament of the Republic of Ghana does not amount to vacation of her seat as a Member of Parliament in the current 8th Parliament of the Republic of Ghana as a New Patriotic Party Member to an Independent Member
“c) The filing of Hon. Kwadjo Asante the current New Patriotic Party’s Member of Parliament for Suhum constituency in the Eastern Region with the Electoral Commission to contest the Suhum Parliamentary seat
as an Independent candidate for the next or 9th Parliament of the Republic of Ghana does not amount to vacation of his seat as a Member of Parliament in the current 8th Parliament of the Republic of Ghana as a New Patriotic Party Member to an Independent Member.”
The Majority Leader is also praying the court for “an order restraining the Speaker of Parliament from pronouncing on any Motion in Parliament directed at Rt. Hon. Andrew Asiamah Amoako, the current Member of Parliament for Fomena in the Ashanti Region and 2nd Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Cynthia Morrison, the current Member of Parliament for Agona West in the Central Region and Hon. Kwadjo Asante the current Member of Parliament for Suhum in the Eastern Region in the current 8th Parliament of the Republic of Ghana from vacating their seats on grounds of leaving his political status as an independent candidate at the time of his election to Parliament to another party and leaving the party of which they were members at the time of their election to Parliament to become independent members of Parliament respectively.
The apex court of the land is also being asked for “an order of injunction barring any attempt by the Speaker of Parliament from enforcing the provisions of Article 97(1)(g) and (h) of the 1992 Constitution during the pendency of this action” filed by the Majority Leader.
