NPP Plans to Seek Speaker’s Help to Reconvene Parliament – Afenyo-Markin
The NPP staged a walkout over disagreements regarding Majority and Minority seating following a Speaker ruling that declared four seats vacant
- The NPP staged a walkout over disagreements
- The NPP filed an ex parte motion to halt the Speaker’s ruling
- The NDC asserts a majority with 136 seats, while the NPP argues the situation remains unchanged
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Caucus plans to prompt the Speaker of Parliament to reconvene the House, as announced by their leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
Tensions flared on Tuesday when Afenyo-Markin and his colleagues staged a walkout due to disputes over seating assignments.
During Tuesday’s session, Speaker Alban S.K. Bagbin adjourned proceedings indefinitely, citing a lack of numbers to make decisions, despite the House having enough members to begin discussions.
The walkout followed a ruling by the Speaker last Thursday that declared four seats vacant due to MPs crossing the floor to run in the upcoming December 7, 2024 elections as either independents or on different party tickets.
In response, the NPP, led by Afenyo-Markin, filed an ex parte motion with the Supreme Court to pause the Speaker’s ruling. The court subsequently instructed the Speaker to suspend the ruling until a final decision is reached.
Meanwhile, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs argue that, according to the Speaker’s ruling, they now hold a majority with 136 seats compared to the NPP’s 135.
The NPP contends that, following the Supreme Court’s directive, the situation remains unchanged. Ultimately, the NPP’s walkout occurred when both sides tried to occupy the Majority’s designated area near the Speaker.
