The New Patriotic Party’s Chairman for the Bono Region, Kwame Baffoe has taken a jab at former President John Dramani Mahama, for his comment over the Supreme Court ruling that a Deputy Speaker can engage in vote casting while presiding over Parliamentary affairs.
According to the Chairman who is best known as ‘Abronye DC’, Mr. Mahama is “ignorant” of the of law, therefore, should remain silent over the Supreme Court’s decision.
The Court on Wednesday, March 9, 2022 dismissed the writ by a law lecturer, Justice Abdulai, challenging the decision of First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu to count himself part of the quorum to pass the 2022 budget.
Presided over by Justice Jones Dotse, it stated that a Deputy Speaker does not lose his right to take part in decision-making process when he is a Member of Parliament, based on the true interpretation of Articles 103 and 104 of the 1992 Constitution.
The seven-member panel therefore ruled that Mr. Joseph Osei-Owusu’s vote on November 30, 2021 to pass the Agyenkwa 2022 budget was valid.
The court in addition to the ruling, struck out order 109 (3) of Parliament’s standing orders, describing it as unconstitutional. The standing order prevents a deputy speaker presiding over meeting from voting.
Reacting to the ruling in a tweet, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress in the 2020 election described it as “unfortunate interpretations that sets a dangerous precedent of judicial interference in Parliamentary procedure for the future.”
Mr. Mahama further admitted that though the ruling in favour of the Deputy Speaker is “shocking” it was not “surprising” on his part.
However, to Abronye DC on Anopa Bofoↄ morning show on Angel FM, the former President has no locust to question the outcome of the Supreme Court ruling because the latter is “ignorant” when it comes to issues of interpreting the law.
He alleged that John Dramani Mahama in one of his interviews some years back disclosed that he was offered admission to pursue Law at the University of Ghana, Legon in 1979 but he declined the offer to read different programme.
According to the stalwart NPP politician, Mr. Mahama in the said interview observed that “Law was a difficult programme that he could not afford to read it so he preferred History, yes he said it himself” he told Kofi Adoma Nwanwani.
He is therefore asking the former president to “shut his mouth up” and accept the ruling irrespective of how he sees it because the law he once snubbed practising was welcomed by others who have become professionals in it today and are implementing it.
