Two Majority Sides NPP Is For PeaceWe Await The Speakers Decision Afenyo Markins Says As MPs Walkout

The Members of Parliament of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have walked out of Parliament.

As siting resumed today, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and NPP MPs sat at the House's majority side, leaving the minority side completely vacant.

This is due to brouhaha on who is the Majority after the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin declared 4 seats vacant. The NDC now had 136 seats and the NPP reduced to 135 after the ruling.

The NDC MPs then declared themselves as the Majority. However, the NPP MPs said they remained the Majority after the Supreme Court issued a stay of execution on Bagbin’s decision.

The NDC MPs later hinted at a showdown prior to today's sitting if the NPP MPs occupied the Majority side in Parliament.

However, Afenyo Markins says there'll be no showdown; they'll walk out if the NDC MPs occupy their seat and that is what has currently happened.

Speaking to the media, Afenyo Markins said: "Mr. Speaker has been part of our democracy since 1992. He is a senior lawyer, he has practiced in our courts, and I believe that even if Mr. Speaker disagrees with the Supreme Court, he knows what to do. Suffice it to say, at the risk of being repetitive, that we were not disrespectful of the chair when Mr. Speaker made his pronouncement, and the Majority Caucus disagreed with him. We didn't cause commotion here. We left quietly and told Mr. Speaker that the right place to express those grievances would be in court. So, we expect our brothers and sisters on the NDC minority side to do the needful. But it will all be for Mr. Speaker to make a final determination.

The nation is looking up to Mr. Speaker; with all his years in politics, this is a crucial moment for him to add weight to what we have done to preserve the peace. We will not allow anybody to disturb the peace of this country., it is a notorious fact that we remain the Majority caucus of this house. We are leaving this chamber to our office awaiting Mr Speaker. That lawless theater we will not share with them.”

As they walked out, the NDC MPs started singing "Revolution"

Meanwhile, the Speaker is yet to enter the chambers.




Rebeca Addo Tetteh/