The suspension of four Members of Parliament (MPs) by Speaker Alban S.K. Bagbin continues to spark heated controversy, with constitutional lawyer Kwame Adofo calling for an immediate reversal.
Speaking on ABC Midday News on Tuesday, February 4, Adofo stated emphatically, “He has to rescind, he has to redraw,” arguing that the Speaker’s actions violate due process.
“So long as you have not heard them, that decision to suspend them does not stand,” he asserted. “That decision cannot stand.”
In other developments, the Minority in Parliament has strengthened its call for the Speaker to reverse the suspensions of their members, as they staged a protest this morning in the corridors of the legislature.
Clad in red and black and chanting patriotic songs, they have vowed to boycott the Speaker’s newly constituted committee set up to probe the chaos unless the suspensions are overturned.
The suspension, which arose from a violent confrontation during the vetting of ministerial nominees on January 30, affected three NPP MPs—Frank Annoh-Dompreh (Nsawam-Adoagyiri), Alhassan Sulemana Tampuli (Gushegu), and Jerry Ahmed Shaib (Weija-Gbawe)—alongside Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor.
The Minority has since condemned the move as an abuse of power, describing it as “selective justice” and a dangerous precedent for parliamentary democracy. Their legal argument hinges on breaches of Ghana’s Constitution, particularly Article 19(1), which guarantees the right to a fair hearing.
Adofo’s comments add weight to these claims, as he warns that the Speaker’s unilateral action not only undermines due process but also threatens the independence of Parliament.
With tensions running high and security tightened within the legislative chamber, all eyes are on Speaker Bagbin’s next move—will he hold his ground, or will mounting pressure force a reversal?
