Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, has sanctioned a motion requesting that four Members of Parliament (MPs) relinquish their seats.
The affected Members of Parliament are Cynthia Morrison (Agona West), Kojo Asante (Suhum), Andrew Asiamah (Fomena), and Peter Kwakye Ackah (Amenfi Central).
Giving the ruling yesterday, the Speaker said, “Hon Members, it is important to point out that the Speaker is called upon by the Standing Orders of Parliament, particularly Order 18, to inform the House of the occurrence of a vacancy of the seat of a Member under Clause (1) (b) to (e), (g) and (h) of Article 97 of the Constitution.
“Accordingly, I proceed to inform the House that by the notification of the polls the following Members of Parliament have by their actions vacated their seats in Parliament. The Members are: (1) Hon Peter Yaw Kwakye-Ackah, NDC MP for Amenfi Central in the Western Region now referred to as an Independent Parliamentary Candidate for the Constituency (2) Hon Andrew Amoako Asiamah, Independent member for Fomena Constituency in Ashanti Region now referred to as NPP Parliamentary Candidate for the constituency (3) Hon Kwadjo Asante, NPP MP for Suhum in the Eastern Region, now referred to as Independent Candidate, for the same constituency, and Hon Cynthia Mamle Morrison, NPP MP for Agona West Constituency in the Central Region, now referred to as Independent Candidate for the same Constituency”
Former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu submitted the motion, contending that the MPs are required to relinquish their parliamentary roles in line with the constitutional regulations pertaining to parliamentary membership to stand as independent candidates in the forthcoming December elections.
The motion underscores the interpretation that by declaring their intention to run as independents, these MPs have effectively relinquished their party affiliations, thereby vacating their seats in Parliament.
