Freddie Blay<\/strong><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Former three-time First Deputy Speaker, Freddie Blay, has poured cold water on the decision by Speaker of Parliament, Alban S.K. Bagbin, to declare the seats of four Members of Parliament (MPs) vacant.<\/p>\n
The Speaker\u2019s move, prompted by the MPs decision to run as independent candidates in the December 7 elections, according to him, contravenes Articles 97(1)(g) and (h) of the Constitution.<\/p>\n
The action, however, provoked intense debate in and outside Parliament.<\/p>\n
But the experienced parliamentarian and lawyer, Mr. Blay, has described the move as unfortunate, as it has the tendency of stifling the development of democracy in the country.<\/p>\n
Expressing his disappointment over the Speaker\u2019s move in an interview, he said, \u201cWhat is happening in Parliament is not good. It doesn\u2019t in any way help the development of parliamentary democracy. It\u2019s unfortunate, taking into account even the fact that we have just two months to elections.\u201d<\/p>\n
He contended that, \u201cWhen one files for nomination to participate in the December 7 elections, it is the expression of a desire of what one wants to do, come January 2025 Parliamentary Session.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you file your nomination with the Electoral Commission, you are not crossing carpet now. You are giving notice to the public that you want to participate in an election which will result in what you want to do, come 2025,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven if the party decides to sack you for expressing your intentions to another party, they can\u2019t ask you to leave Parliament, according to me, unless you decide yourself, but that should be within now. But if you say come 2025, I will change party, and go elsewhere, it doesn\u2019t mean I am going now before the end of the session. If l do that it doesn\u2019t mean l should be penalised.\u201d<\/p>\n
He thus reiterated that, \u201cIt was unnecessary for the Speaker to take that decision, he should have waited for the Supreme Court\u2019s interpretation if he finds that controversial, his move could amount to disorder and constitutional lawlessness.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the Speaker to get rid of four MPs because according to him they intend to change their loyalty to whichever party they belong to now, or even go independent, constitute breach of their obligations \u2013 I don\u2019t think so and totally disagree.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is not healthy, at this crucial time that Parliament is hanged, it amounts to constitutional lawlessness, it doesn\u2019t help democracy,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n
By Kofi Owusu Aduonum<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Freddie Blay \u00a0 Former three-time First Deputy Speaker, Freddie Blay, has poured cold water on the decision by Speaker of Parliament, Alban S.K. Bagbin, to declare the seats of four Members of Parliament (MPs) vacant. The Speaker\u2019s move, prompted by the MPs decision to run as independent candidates in the December 7 elections, according to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":215145,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-236829","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-local-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
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