Yusif Sulemana, the Member of Parliament for Bole-Bamboi, has cautioned the Supreme Court about making rulings on politically sensitive matters, warning that such decisions infringe on the independence of Parliament and its authority.
On October 18, 2024, the Supreme Court ruled to stay the Speaker’s prior decision to declare four parliamentary seats vacant, effectively allowing the affected MPs to retain their seats for the time being.
In response, Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin adjourned the House indefinitely, citing an inadequate number of members present in the Chamber to proceed with official business.
This indefinite adjournment has intensified discussions regarding the growing tensions within Parliament and the implications of the Speaker’s decision on pending legislative business.
The incident unfolded during a session expected to address the revocation of L.I. 2462, with both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) members prepared to resume their seats.
However, the NPP caucus staged a walk-out amid debates over which party should occupy the majority side, given the NDC’s apparent numerical advantage following the Speaker’s declaration of four vacant seats.
In an interview on The Big Issue on Saturday, the Bole-Bamboi MP criticized the Supreme Court’s ruling, arguing that it undermines Parliament’s independence.
Sulemana expressed concern that such judicial interference could set a precedent, opening the door for external challenges to Parliament’s decisions whenever politically convenient.
“This act infringes on our rights as parliament…the Supreme Court must be careful in making such decisions because for me, judiciary independence is very important and where we are getting to, we would need to be very cautious”, he stated.
He also argued that the attitude of the NPP displayed a sense of entitlement and a reluctance to acknowledge their changing role in Parliament.
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