Parliamentary Supremacy: Parliament Denies Negotiations Between Prez and Speaker

The Parliamentary Service has debunked allegations that a settlement negotiation has taken place between the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Rt Hon Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin over the balance of power in the law-making House.

A video of the President and the Speaker was circulated as a meeting on the invitation of the former over the declaration of four seats vacant.

However, in a statement, the Parliamentary Service said the video in question was taken on July 4, 2024, when the Rt. Hon. Speaker led a delegation to present the maiden democracy cup to the President.

“Parliament states without any equivocation that there is no iota of truth in the insinuation in the circulated video. The attempt to wrongly label the video and twist facts to impugn the integrity of the Rt. Hon. Speaker and Parliament is not only disingenuous but unfortunate.”

It thereby urged the public to disregard it.

“The general public is hereby advised to ignore the attempt to hoodwink them into believing what has never transpired and treat the narrative with the contempt it deserves.”

This comes amid tension as the House convenes today, October 22, for the first time since four seats were declared vacant tilting the balance of power to the NDC with the Supreme Court subsequently delivering a stay of execution order against the decree.

As the NDC side has vowed to “jealously” protect their earned majority status, the NPP side says the House has reverted to its previous status in their favour with the court order.

Meanwhile, the Speaker has directed his lawyers to file a stay of execution against the Supreme Court’s ruling. As it stands, the ball is now in the court of the Speaker to make the dust settle in Parliament.

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini