<\/p>\n
Dr. Kwabena Donkor, Ranking Member of Parliament\u2019s Employment, Social Welfare, and State Enterprises Committee, has strongly criticised the Supreme Court\u2019s recent decision to dismiss an application filed by Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin.<\/p>\n
Speaker Bagbin\u2019s application sought to overturn an earlier ruling that prevented him from declaring four parliamentary seats vacant.<\/p>\n
The Supreme Court\u2019s ruling, delivered on Wednesday, October 30, upheld its prior decision, effectively blocking Speaker Bagbin from proceeding with his declaration and maintaining the current occupancy of the seats in question.<\/p>\n
In an interview on Citi FM\u2019s Eyewitness News<\/em> with Selorm Adonoo, Dr. Donkor accused the Supreme Court of being influenced more by political considerations than legal principles. He expressed particular concern over the Chief Justice\u2019s argument that the court\u2019s decision aimed to prevent leaving thousands of constituents unrepresented if the Speaker\u2019s declaration were to stand.<\/p>\n The Chief Justice argued in her ruling that preserving the current representation was essential, as declaring the seats vacant would leave those constituencies temporarily unrepresented, pending by-elections.<\/p>\n Dr. Donkor, however, described the court\u2019s reasoning as inconsistent, citing the case of the people of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe, and Lolobi (SALL), who have been without representation in Parliament since the 2020 elections due to administrative and electoral boundary challenges. According to Dr. Donkor, the court\u2019s stance on preserving representation overlooks the ongoing disenfranchisement of the SALL constituents, suggesting a selective application of the principle of representation.<\/p>\n He further questioned the impartiality of the court\u2019s decisions, raising concerns about the judiciary\u2019s role in safeguarding democratic representation and fairness for all Ghanaians.<\/p>\n \u201cThe decision is not a legal one but a political one. I have also stated that this particular Supreme Court is more political than legal. If you listened to the argument of the Chief Justice in her ruling, that thousands of Ghanaians will not have representation if the ruling of the Speaker is not stayed, it is the most flawed reasoning I have heard in Ghana\u2019s political economy.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is flawed because Parliament, per its calendar, will be rising in two weeks from today. And also, the people of SALL have been without representation and they are not Ghanaians.\u201d<\/p>\n Supreme Court rejects Bagbin\u2019s application to reverse ruling on vacant seats<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n