The governing New Patriotic Party has told the opposition National Democratic Congress that a majority caucus in Parliament is granted by electorates at the polls and not manufactured in Parliament.
It has accused Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker, of indulging in partisanship to hand over the majority position to the opposition NDC.
In a statement signed by the General Secretary of the party, Justin Kodua Frimpong, Wednesday, October 23, 2024, it asked the NDC to focus on attaining majority at the polls and not in Parliament.
“We wish to remind the NDC and their desperate Minority Caucus in Parliament that in Ghana, the determination of which political party constitutes Minority or Majority in Parliament is done by the Ghanaian electorates at the polls. It is not manufactured in Parliament with the aid of a partisan Speaker.
“They should, indeed, be guided by the free advice given to them by the next President of Ghana, H.E Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, to focus on winning majority seats at the polling stations and not in Parliament,” portions of the statement contained.
It went ahead to describe the NDC as “a lawless entity who just want chaos at all times and cannot find civil ways of resolving challenges.”
The statement continued that if not for the adherence to the law by members of its party, the last sitting which was adjourned indefinitely by the Speaker would have resorted to fighting to dent Ghana’s image to the global world.
“If the NPP Majority caucus hadn’t taken the high ground, and remained on the side of the law, we would have had fights in the august chamber and this would have dented the image of Ghana globally and heat up the atmosphere ahead of December elections. This lawless group is not one to be trusted with the reins of power,” the statement contained.
The reaction follows the majority-minority conundrum in the House where both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) are claiming majority status.
The confusion comes as a result of a ruling by the Speaker of Parliament Thursday, October 17, 2024, where some four seats were declared vacant. The declaration, subsequently reduced the membership of the governing NPP, who were then Majority to 135, with the opposition NDC, who were the Minority, remaining with 136 members to assume the Majority position.
Leader of the NPP caucus, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, filed an ex parte motion in the Supreme Court, where it ruled to stay with the ruling of the Speaker.
This, has created a confusion since, with both caucuses claiming to be the majority side of the House.
The Speaker adjourned sitting indefinitely after the House couldn’t attain quorum.
FULL TEXT: NPP’s reaction to recent happenings in Parliament
