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In a rare scene in Parliament today, both National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs have taken up seats on the majority side of the House, leaving the minority side completely vacant.
This unusual arrangement comes amidst ongoing confusion over which party holds the majority, following Speaker Alban Bagbin’s declaration of four vacant parliamentary seats on October 17.
JoyNews’ Parliamentary Correspondent, Kwaku Asante, reports that the NPP Caucus Deputy Whip, Habib Iddrisu, occupied the Majority Leader’s seat, preventing the NDC Caucus leader from sitting there.
In response, the NDC MPs swiftly moved the Minority Leader’s black chair from their side to the majority side, allowing their leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, to take his place.
Mr Asante explains that while all MPs sit on brown chairs, the leaders of both the majority and minority typically sit on black chairs.
By occupying the black chair meant for the Majority Leader, Mr. Annoh Dompreh effectively claimed the position for the NPP.
Unfazed, the NDC moved the Minority leader’s chair to the majority side.
Kwaku Asante further revealed that despite the brewing tension over the leadership crisis, the atmosphere in Parliament appears cordial.
He said MPs from both the NDC and NPP, though seated on the same side, were seen smiling and conversing with each other.
This latest development follows the declaration by Speaker Bagbin that four parliamentary seats—three held by the NPP and one by the NDC—were vacant, shifting the balance of power in Parliament.
With the NDC claiming 136 seats and the NPP reduced to 135, the NDC quickly asserted itself as the new majority.
However, on Friday, October 18, the Supreme Court issued a stay of execution on Speaker Bagbin’s decision, ruling that the four MPs must be allowed to continue representing their constituencies until the court reaches a final decision.
Despite the court’s ruling, the NDC caucus has refused to relinquish its newly claimed majority status, arguing that the judiciary cannot interfere with the operations of Parliament, which functions as an independent arm of government.
Source:Myjoyonline
