Bagbin’s defense of Parliament exemplary – Dr. Apaak

Member of Parliament for Builsa South Constituency, Dr. Clement Apaak has commended the Speaker’s unwavering determination to defend the institution of Parliament, he describes them as exemplary.

Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has formally rejected a writ delivered to Parliament by the Supreme Court.

The writ, intended to invoke the Supreme Court’s original jurisdiction under multiple provisions of the 1992 Constitution and Supreme Court Rules, was returned to the Court’s Registrar with claims of improper service.

The writ was delivered to the Legal Services Office of the Parliamentary Service by three court bailiffs on October 16, 2024.

However, the Speaker’s office noted that the attempted service contradicted Article 117 of the 1992 Constitution, which protects members of Parliament from legal service processes while attending to parliamentary duties.

In a statement, Dr. Apaak reaffirmed that Rt. Hon Speaker Bagbin has taken legal action through his lawyers to challenge the Supreme Court’s ruling that declared four parliamentary seats vacant.

He further stated that the Speaker is challenging the Supreme Court’s authority to the ex-party motion filed by the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo Markin.

“The Speaker has challenged the SC on its jurisdiction and capacity to have heard the ex-parte motion brought before it by the now Minority leader, Hon. Alexander Afenyo-Markin, and argues that the SC acted on an incompetent application that it should not have entertained. He argues further that the SC violated the Constitution in asserting jurisdiction on the matter when the Constitution vests original jurisdiction on a vacation of parliamentary seats in the High Court”, he stated.

He further stated that the Speaker’s lawyers are contesting the Supreme Court for entertaining what they argue amounts to an abuse of legal processes and procedures on Parliament in breach of natural justice.

“Lawyers for Speaker also fault the SC for entertaining what they argue amounts to abuse of legal processes and procedures on Parliament in breach of natural justice and for giving a ruling on Parliament in same breach of the rules of natural justice by not affording Parliament a hearing.

“Indeed, the determination of Speaker ASK BAGBIN to defend the institution of Parliament and to insist that the right thing is done is exemplary”, the lawmaker stated.