Removal of MPs: This storm could've been avoided if cool heads had remained

Freddie Blay

Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, has expressed his hope that the Supreme Court’s decision on the contentious vacant seat case will bring closure to the issue.

He described the controversy as an avoidable "storm in a teacup" that escalated unnecessarily due to a lack of level-headedness.

In an interview on 'The Agenda' show on TV3 on Monday, November 11, Blay remarked, “The court will give its ruling and that should bring finality to this storm in the teacup, which shouldn’t have been the case maybe if cool heads had remained.”

The Supreme Court is set to deliver its landmark judgment today, Tuesday, November 12, on the dispute surrounding Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin’s declaration of four parliamentary seats as vacant. The court had initially scheduled the ruling for Monday, November 11, but postponed it to Tuesday after the absence of Bagbin’s legal representatives in court.

The case has sparked heated debates across the political spectrum, reviving calls for a comprehensive review of Ghana’s constitution, particularly regarding the powers granted to the Speaker of Parliament.

The suit, initiated by Alexander Afenyo-Markin, leader of the NPP parliamentary caucus, challenges Speaker Bagbin’s declaration, arguing that it oversteps constitutional boundaries and undermines parliamentary representation.

This ruling will have far-reaching implications, potentially setting a precedent for how similar disputes will be handled in the future and further shaping the interpretation of constitutional provisions related to the authority of the Speaker of Parliament.

Removal of MPs: This storm could've been avoided if cool heads had remained — Freddie Blay