Source: Myjoyonline.com
Tamale South MP Haruna Iddrisu has expressed confidence that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will soon shift from a Minority to a Majority in Parliament.
He noted that the current 4th Republican Parliament is heading toward a constitutional test, which will result in this transformation during the next parliamentary session.
According to Iddrisu, the NDC lawmakers plan to invoke Article 97 of the Constitution during the parliamentary sitting on Tuesday, which will formally establish their Majority status.
He indicated that this move would be based on the constitutional provisions that govern the disqualification of MPs.
The former Minority Leader and his fellow MPs argue that four legislators who have filed nominations to run as independent candidates in the 2024 elections are no longer recognised under the Constitution.
By contesting as independents, these MPs are automatically disqualified from retaining their seats in Parliament, creating an opportunity for the NDC to claim the Majority.
Speaking at a campaign event in the Tamale North constituency for Alhassan Suhuyini, the current MP seeking a third term, Haruna Iddrisu reiterated that the constitutional basis for their claim is clear.
He assured the NDC members and supporters that this development would cement their position as the new Majority in Parliament.
The parliament of Ghana will reconvene, and when it reconvenes, I am very certain that the parliament of Ghana will go through a major constitutional test. That constitutional test is that NDC minority must become the majority.”
“If an MP on a political party ticket like NPP decides to file as an independent candidate, that member ceases to become a member of parliament. If an independent member of parliament, by provision of Article 97, sub-clause G, decides to join a political party, he also loses constitutional recognition and does not belong to parliament. And even if an NDC candidate, MP, decides to become an independent, he ceases to be a member of parliament.”
