The North East Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Sulley Sambian has questioned the motive behind the walkout by the Majority caucus of Parliament on Friday November 26, 2021, leading to the rejection of the 2022 budget statement and economic policy.
Although he thought the Speaker was wrong in taking the vote in the absence of the majority caucus, he blamed the latter for their single action of staging a walkout.
In a Facebook post, the NPP regional scribe for North East wrote “the speaker got it wrong in taking the vote, but did we have to walk out in the first place?”
He has therefore called on his side to build consensus as “it’s the only way to navigate through these difficult times”.
“Showmanship certainly will not be helpful; in fact it will be dangerous” he added.
Sulley Sambian, who is a lawyer by profession raised some legal questions regarding the processes that took place in Parliament on Friday November 26, 2021.
Below is his full post on Facebook on Sunday November 28, 2021
We just have to build consensus. It’s the only way to navigate through these difficult times.
Showmanship certainly will not be helpful; in fact it will be dangerous.
To my mind, the Speaker got it wrong in taking the vote. But did we have to walk out in the first place?
I have been looking at the legal angles:
1. If a question was wrongly taken, how does Parliament as an institution remedy it?
2. Can it fall on its oft-cited position that Parliament is master of its own rules to remedy the situation?
3. Or the court must be invited to declare it unconditional?
4. As a government, does the option of even the court help us, considering the time that will be spent in court ?(remember we are talking about 2022 budget and January is just in the corner)
Speaker Bagbin is in Dubai. He’s expected to return by mid December.
5. What happens if his leave is extended to coincide with the time Parliament will be in recess?
In his absence the 1st Deputy speaker will chair. That leaves us with 137 pro Npp MPs with voting rights. Same number for the NDC.
Assume the question is even re-asked, can we get at least half the number of MPS present and voting? (Article 104 in my mind)
In the end showmanship will simply not help. Tactical compromises will.
But you people too, why ?
You said you had concerns with the budget. The man says let me accommodate your concerns before you subject the thing to vote. That one too turn Wahala
Well, if we had at least 150 MPs in our bag, speaker Bagbin certainly would have been more mindful of Article 104.
So who do we blame?
