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Parliament Adjourned Indefinitely Due to Lack of Numbers – Speaker Bagbin

Parliament Adjourned Indefinitely Due to Lack of Numbers – Speaker Bagbin

S.K. Bagbin

Parliament has been adjourned indefinitely due to a lack of sufficient numbers to make decisions, according to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban S.K. Bagbin. Speaking to the House on Tuesday, October 21, 2024, Bagbin explained that while there were enough members present to conduct parliamentary business, they did not have the numbers required to take any decisions.

Speaker Bagbin Cites Constitutional Quorum Rules in Adjournment Decision

This situation arose following a walkout by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) members, who protested over a disagreement regarding the seating arrangements in Parliament. The dispute came after the Speaker’s ruling last Thursday that declared four parliamentary seats vacant due to MPs crossing the floor to contest the upcoming elections either as independents or under a different party.

NPP Walkout Sparks Parliamentary Deadlock Over Seating Dispute

Although the Supreme Court directed the Speaker to halt the implementation of this ruling pending a final decision, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs argued that the Speaker’s ruling had shifted the balance of power in their favor, giving them 136 seats compared to the NPP’s 135. This prompted the NDC to assert that they were now the majority in Parliament.

NPP Walkout Highlights Constitutional Disputes and Parliamentary Quorum Issues

However, the NPP argued that, based on the Supreme Court’s directive, the parliamentary status quo had not changed. As tensions escalated, the NPP staged a walkout. The Speaker, upon assessing the situation, confirmed that while there was a quorum to conduct business, the House lacked the required numbers under Article 104 of the Constitution to make any decisions. As a result, he adjourned the sitting indefinitely, in accordance with Standing Orders 59, citing public interest and parliamentary exigencies.

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