Declaring Seats Vacant: Supreme Court Ruling Order Is Not Final – Sam Okudzeto

Former President of the Ghana Bar Association, Sam Okudzeto, has asserted that the Supreme Court’s order to grant a stay of execution of the decision by Speaker Bagbin to declare four seats vacant is not a final ruling.

A five-member panel of the Supreme Court chaired by the Chief Justice has granted a stay of execution of the ruling of the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin to declare the seats of four Members of Parliament (MPs) vacant over the switch of allegiance following an ex parte application by the majority leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin.

Sam Okudzeto stated the decision by the Supreme Court is an interim order, a temporary order of a court pending order. He believes this order is a temporary one before the final ruling is made. 

"The Supreme Court’s order is what we call interim. It is not final. That is why they gave them ten days within which others should find documents so that they can act and make an argument. If a person brings an application, normally you have to stay the process. You have to stay in the process in order for them to come and argue. When they argue, you can make a final ruling, which can go one way or the other," he stated.

The law lecturer condemned the attacks on the Supreme Court, specifically the five-member panel that made the decision. He added that the judges’ views and rulings were grounded in the law and not personal opinions and biases.