Your decision will lead us into absurdity – Mahama tells Supreme Court
Former President John Dramani Mahama has once again expressed his thoughts on the Supreme Court giving Deputy Speakers the nod to vote while leading proceedings in parliament fearing that it could plunge the country into absurdity.
“If Deputy Speakers, because they are Members of Parliament, can vote while presiding as Speaker, they could as well be able to participate in any debate on the floor over which they are presiding. This is the absurdity into which the Supreme Court ruling leads us,” Mr Mahama wrote on Twitter Thursday.
Earlier he had described the ruling as shocking but not surprising.
“A unanimous 7-0? Shocking but not surprising. An unfortunate interpretation for convenience that sets a dangerous precedent of judicial interference in Parliamentary procedure for the future”.
President Akufo-Addo on the other hand has welcomed the decision.
“All organs of the state including me as the head of the executive, are subject to the constitution. There is nobody or organ in the Ghanaian state that is above the laws of the land. To suggest that Parliament should operate without interference is to advocate for the very matter we have tried to avoid, the concentration of power. We have had that experience before and don’t want that.
“As far as I can see it, and I think the Supreme Court has confirmed it, the matters involved in this are open and shut, they are black and white. There can be no dispute about the issues that the gentleman took to the Supreme Court,” President Akufo-Addo said during an interaction with the media on Thursday.
The Supreme court on Wednesday 9th March 2022 supported the motion that Deputy Speaker when presiding can exercise a vote contrary to Standing Order 13 of Parliament.
The issue in contention was whether a Deputy Speaker of Parliament presiding over proceedings can vote or should be counted as part of the quorum.
Justice Jones Dotse chaired panel also reiterated that the approval of the budget was valid.
