The controversy surrounding seating arrangements in Parliament arose after the Supreme Court’s ruling on November 12, 2024, which declared Speaker Alban Bagbin’s declaration of four parliamentary seats as vacant unconstitutional. Following the ruling, Afenyo-Markin, a senior member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), suggested that the decision reaffirmed the Constitution and called for Parliament to align with the majority seat arrangement.
However, in a response on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show, Murtala Mohammed dismissed Afenyo-Markin’s interpretation of the ruling. He clarified that the Supreme Court’s decision focused on the legality of Bagbin’s actions regarding the vacant seats, and did not address seating arrangements in Parliament. “The Supreme Court didn’t rule on seating positions, and there is no provision in the 1992 Constitution for this—it’s purely a convention,” Murtala Mohammed stated.
Seating arrangements in Ghana’s Parliament have historically been guided by convention, with the majority party occupying seats to the right of the Speaker and the minority to the left. These arrangements are not legally prescribed by the Constitution but are based on parliamentary tradition.
Murtala Mohammed further criticized Afenyo-Markin for what he described as “inconsistencies” in his position on Speaker Bagbin. He recalled how Afenyo-Markin had previously used “vulgar words” to attack Bagbin, yet was now calling for respect for the Speaker in light of the Supreme Court ruling. “It’s interesting that now, he’s asking for respect for the Speaker when just a short time ago, he was using derogatory language against him,” Murtala Mohammed said, accusing Afenyo-Markin of double standards.