Speaker Denies Meeting with Akufo-Addo Over Vacant Seats Brouhaha

The Speaker of Parliament Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbbin, has debunked claims that he has before today met President Akufo-Addo to thrush issues concerning his announcement of four (4) Members of Parliament (MPs) seats, as vacant.

The issue of the Speaker’s announcement was dragged to the Supreme Court by the MP for the Effutu constituency Alexander Afenyo-Markin who doubles then as Majority Leader, last Thursday.

The granting of a stay of execution by the apex has attracted conversations drawing the attention of the general public.

In a statement issued on the Speaker’s behalf by Dr Lawrence Kwarteng-Ashia, Deputy Director for Media Relations, it said there is absolutely no truth in the claim making the rounds.

According to Parliament, the so called video being used as proof is rather an old video of the two leaders taken in July this year.

The statement explained that the video was taken during the presentation of the maiden Democracy Cup, to the President and that it is not in any way connected to the current parliamentary issues unfolding in the august house this morning.

“The attention of Parliament has been drawn to a video circulating on social media insinuating that the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has been invited to a meeting with the President to negotiate a settlement in respect of the pronouncement by the Rt. Hon. Speaker on Thursday, 17th October, 2024 in response to a call by the Minority Leader to declare the seats of four (4) Members of Parliament vacant.

“Parliament states without any equivocation that there is no iota of truth in the insinuation in the circulated video. The video in question was taken on 4th July 2024, when the Rt. Hon. Speaker led a delegation to present the maiden democracy cup to the President.

“The attempt to wrongly label the video and twist facts to impugn the integrity of the Rt. Hon. Speaker and Parliament is not only disingenuous but unfortunate.”

Parliament’s circular also urged the public to disregard the video and treat it with contempt.

“The general public is hereby advised to ignore the attempt to hoodwink them into believing what has never transpired and treat the narrative with the contempt it deserves.”

Meanwhile, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament (MP) have stormed out of Parliament after the National Democratic Congress (NDC) took the majority side of the chamber.

According to Mr Afenyo-Markin, they are retreating to their various offices until the Speaker occupies his seat, then they return to his direction as to the way forward.

On the other side of the divide, the NDC are still in the chamber also waiting for Mr Bagbin.