Prof. Oquaye: Haruna Iddrisu Lacks Standing to Petition Parliament on Four Vacant Seats
Former Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, has expressed skepticism regarding a petition filed by Haruna Iddrisu, the Member of Parliament for Tamale South, which seeks to declare four parliamentary seats vacant.
The petition targets four incumbent MPs, three of whom have declared their intention to contest the upcoming December 7, 2024 parliamentary elections as independent candidates. The fourth MP, currently independent, plans to run on the New Patriotic Party (NPP) ticket.
Prof. Oquaye argues that Haruna Iddrisu lacks the legal standing to file such a petition since he is not affiliated with the NPP, asserting that only the NPP can initiate a process to remove its members from Parliament.
The petition, submitted on October 15, 2024, aims to have the four seats officially declared vacant. The MPs in question are Cynthia Mamle Morrison from Agona West, Kwadjo Asante from Suhum—both representing the NPP—and Peter Yaw Kwakye-Ackah from Amenfi Central, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who are all vying as independents. Additionally, Andrew Asiamah Amoako, an independent MP for Fomena, has opted to contest on the NPP’s platform.
During a parliamentary debate on the petition, some MPs cited Prof. Oquaye’s earlier ruling on a similar case involving Andrew Asiamah Amoako in 2020, urging current Speaker Alban Bagbin to apply the same logic.
In an interview with JoyNews, Prof. Oquaye noted significant differences between the two cases and urged caution in addressing the petition, deeming it unnecessary. He recalled a previous instance when the NPP had formally requested the Speaker to withdraw support for an MP based on constitutional concerns after that MP was perceived to have betrayed party loyalty.
Prof. Oquaye underscored that if an MP departs from their party or is expelled, it is the political party’s responsibility to manage the process appropriately. He expressed confidence that Speaker Bagbin, with his considerable experience, would handle the situation judiciously.
