Leader of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has publicly accused Speaker Alban Bagbin of acting in bad faith by prioritizing his interpretation of the Constitution over judicial authority.
During a press briefing on November 7, Afenyo-Markin expressed his concerns regarding Bagbin’s recent statements, particularly his assertion that he respects the Constitution while not feeling bound by judicial decisions.
“How can Mr. Speaker say that he respects the Constitution but he will not subject himself to the dictate of the Judiciary?” Afenyo-Markin questioned.
He further criticized Speaker Bagbin for suggesting that the judiciary is colluding with the President.
“What the Speaker is doing is in bad faith,” he said.
The remarks come in light of a recent Supreme Court ruling that went against Bagbin’s attempts to overturn a stay on his earlier ruling regarding vacant parliamentary seats.
Following this setback, Afenyo-Markin noted that Speaker Bagbin’s subsequent attacks on the apex court were unbecoming of a true democrat, who should respect the rule of law even when decisions do not align with their interests.
Additionally, Afenyo-Markin expressed disappointment with Bagbin’s non-reconciliatory approach during a previous press conference and accused him of exacerbating tensions within Parliament.
“The Speaker is setting the country on fire,” he asserted, calling for a more statesmanlike demeanor from Bagbin.
This press briefing follows another indefinite adjournment of Parliament after NPP MPs failed to attend the session.
Speaker Bagbin announced that without a quorum—due to the absence of NPP members—the House could not conduct any legislative business.
