Martin Kpebu thinks the outcome of the Supreme Court hearing on the verdict relating to jurisdiction on the vacant seats controversy is the very reason politicians appoint judges to the Supreme Court.
The private legal practitioner is alleging governments of both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) appoint their friends to the apex court to save them whenever such matters that affect their administration arise.
In the matter of Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin and the Speaker of Parliament where the apex court in its verdict stayed the ruling of the Speaker which declared some four seats in the House vacant, Mr. Kpebu is opining that the issue of jurisdiction as the Supreme Court ruled in favour bothers on people’s school of thought.
Indicating that the issue is not straitjacketed but usually determined on the interest of the subjects involved, he has called for the mode of appointment of judges to be changed to avoid instances where decisions are taken to favour the government of the day.
Speaking on the KeyPoints on TV3 Saturday, November 16, 2024, Kpebu stated that such decisions are largely influenced by the political leanings to the appointment of the judges.
“The real understanding of what’s going on is to look at how they [judges] are appointed. This is the very reason for which they are appointed. The President looks at the various judges and he will choose those who think like him. Those who support is view point. Those who reason like him, then we say the same philosophies, the same jurisprudential viewpoint, the same ideologies.
“That’s what they do so he is choosing people who reflect his thought so don’t be surprised decisions like these go in favour of the ruling government. It’s not only NPP that does it. NDC too, when you’re in office, you choose your friends to go to the Supreme Court,” he said.
The matter involving the vacant seats controversy is something many legal luminaries have said does not lie in the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. When a similar incident was brought before the court in 2021 after the residents of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi and Likpe (SALL) were denied representation in Parliament, the Supreme Court at the time said it lacked jurisdiction on the matter, saying it is the High Court that handles such issues.
However, many have expressed shock over the turn of events when a similar matter was presented to the court after some four seats were declared vacant in Parliament, where the apex court ruled to stay the ruling made by the Speaker.
Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker, in his application over the matter challenged the jurisdiction of the court on the issue where it eventually ruled in a 5:2 majority that it has jurisdiction.
Vacant seats case: High Court would have still referred interpretation to Supreme Court – Assafuah
