The opposition National Democratic Congress, NDC, will scuttle any plans by the ruling New Patriotic Party, NPP, to oust its Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo.
This is according to an interpretation of the process of declaring a Parliamentary seat vacant as advanced by Tamale Central MP, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed.
He averred on an Accra-based Joy News that the NPP could at best sack Adwoa Safo as a member of the party but that they have no significant say in her removal as a lawmaker.
“If NPP sacks her, the seat will not be declared vacant. Somebody will have to petition the Speaker. The Speaker will refer it to the Privileges Committee, if the Privileges Committee takes a decision, they will bring it to the plenary, the full house.
“And we must vote, and two-thirds of members must vote to declare the seat vacant and I want to assure you, we will not do that (join them vote to oust her). So, Adwoa Safo will just be in Parliament, she may be sacked from the NPP.
“If the Privileges Committee decides that ‘yes, let’s declare the seat vacant;’ that final decision must be taken by the full house and per the Standing Orders or even the Constitution, you need two-thirds to support that motion that the seat be declared vacant, we will not support it,” Murtala Mohammed stressed.
Reports indicate that the Majority in Parliament is mooting plans to remove Adwoa Safo from the House because of her continued absence which continues to adversely affect the conduct of government business in the House.
It is widely held that her absence from the House means the ruling party and government are constrained from conducting serious business in the House, especially with a near equal number of MPs – 137 apiece and an independent who aligns with the Majority.
ghanaweb.com
