Member of Parliament (MP) for Asante-Akim North Constituency in the Ashanti Region on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Andy Appiah Kubi, says the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, only followed the precedence set by his predecessor in his decision to declare four (4) parliamentary seats vacant.
The Speaker approved the motion, initiated by former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, during a parliamentary sitting on October 17. The motion argued that the Members of Parliament (MPs) in question Cynthia Morrison (Agona West), Kojo Asante (Suhum) and Peter Kwakye Ackah (Amenfi Central) had forfeited their seats by announcing their intention to contest the 2024 elections as independent candidates. While Andrew Asiamah (Fomena), suffers the same fate for contesting on the ticket of the NPP as an independent sitting member of Parliament.
This decision was based on the premise that such actions violate constitutional provisions governing parliamentary membership.
“I expected the Speaker to do what he did and so I have no qualms with it. He just followed precedence,” the MP stated.
In 2020, the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye, declared the Fomena seat vacant after Andrew Amoako Asiamah, the NPP’s Member of Parliament for Fomena, decided to run as an independent candidate in the December 2020 general elections.
The NPP had petitioned Parliament to remove Asiamah, arguing that by contesting as an independent, he had forfeited his membership and right to the seat. Speaker Oquaye upheld the party’s position, stating that it was constitutionally mandated, per Article 97(1)(g) of the 1992 Constitution, for any MP who leaves the party they represent to vacate their seat in Parliament.
I expected the speaker to do what he did… – Andy Appiah Kubi (MP, Asante-Akim North Constituency) #StarrNews #EIBNetwork #NDC#StarrFM #ElectionHub #NPP pic.twitter.com/Uu6MquwJNm
— Starr 103.5 FM (@starr1035fm) October 17, 2024
