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Kwesi Pratt Jnr, Managing Editor of *The Insight* newspaper, has criticized the recent Supreme Court verdict on vacant parliamentary seats, calling it “extremely weird and unreasonable.” Speaking during a panel discussion on Metro TV, Pratt expressed disbelief at the court’s refusal to declare certain seats vacant, despite evidence of active campaigning against the New Patriotic Party (NPP) by some former members.
Pratt pointed out that Cynthia Morrison, a former NPP member who is now campaigning as an Independent Parliamentary Candidate, still holds her seat in Parliament under the NPP ticket. According to Pratt, this situation allows Morrison to participate in NPP caucus meetings while simultaneously campaigning against the party’s interests. He questioned the logic behind the Supreme Court’s decision, asking, “How can someone who campaigns against the NPP continue to be recognized as part of the NPP?”
He argued that the ruling could imply that a National Democratic Congress (NDC) member who also left to run as an independent candidate could be considered part of the NDC, creating confusion and inconsistencies.
The Supreme Court’s decision came in a 5-2 ruling on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, deeming Speaker Alban Bagbin’s declaration of four parliamentary seats as vacant to be unconstitutional. Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo announced that the detailed reasoning behind the verdict would be released on Wednesday, November 13, 2024. In the ruling, she stated, “By a majority decision of five to two, with Lovelace Johnson JSC and Amadu Tanko JSC dissenting, the plaintiff’s action succeeds.”
The verdict has sparked a significant public debate on the court’s interpretation of parliamentary membership and political alignment.