Deputy Speaker’s voting rights: I’m fortified to seek review – Justice Abdulai
The Plaintiff in the Deputy Speaker’s voting right case, Justice Abdulai, says he is more fortified to seek a review of the Supreme Court’s earlier ruling on the matter.
According to him, he has managed to access a plethora of resources that he believes will do well to convince the Supreme Court to revise their earlier ruling.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express, he noted that the unavailability of these documents during the past court proceedings might have resulted in the decision the Supreme Court came to.
“I feel strongly in my position that considering the judicial antecedents to our present circumstances. We have a lot of information that could have guided all of us; myself, the attorney general and the supreme court for that matter in coming out with the decision that they came up with.
“I think because we are all bereft with those litanies of information, it’s the basis for the decision that resulted on the 9th of March. And I think that having a second look at that decision will inure to the benefit of all of us as Ghanaians in particular,” he stated.
The Supreme Court presided over by Justice Jones Dotse unanimously ruled that a Deputy Speaker can be counted during the formation of a quorum for parliamentary decision-making and participate in voting while presiding over the parliamentary business.
The landmark judgement was given after private legal practitioner, Justice Abdulai, filed a case against the Attorney- General to contest the First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu’s decision to count himself during a vote to approve the 2022 budget.
Justice Abdulai had also asked the Supreme Court to interpret Articles 102 and 104 of the 1992 Constitution and declare the action of Mr Osei-Owusu as unconstitutional.
Subsequently, the Court struck down Order 109(3) of the Standing Orders of Parliament which reads “A Deputy Speaker or any other member presiding shall not retain his original vote while presiding.”
The apex court described it as unconstitutional.
Source: Ghana News
