The Head of Chambers at Clinton Consultancy and Political Lawyer, Amanda Akuokor Clinton, has supported the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin’s decision of declaring parliamentary candidates whose results were annulled by the Supreme Court on Friday, 27 December 2024, not eligible to be sworn in as Members of Parliament on 6 January 2025.

According to the lawyer, the Speaker would be acting appropriately in refusing to swear in the specific MPs, as the court has requested that the issue be revisited. Therefore, Alban Bagbin needs to wait for the court’s verdict before proceeding with the induction of the elected candidates from the twelve outstanding constituencies.

She spoke on Joy Prime’s Prime Morning show regarding the outcome of the matter, if it would be unresolved before 6 January 2025, and what the constitution says.

“The Speaker is absolutely right for saying that he’s not going to swear those people in because even the court of law has said that the matter has to be revisited. So, he’s just going to carry on with the rest, but for those particular seats, he’s going to leave,” he said.

Although the Supreme Court’s decision to return the case to the High Court has left the matter in limbo regarding the fate of the elected candidates, lawyer Clinton urged the public to allow the High Court sufficient time to thoroughly scrutinize the issue for the benefit of all citizens.

That notwithstanding, she trusts that the High Court will expedite the process and rule in the public interest, especially since the Supreme Court has given the NDC a two-day ultimatum to file their opposition.

Nevertheless, if the final ruling is made after January 7, 2025 the Speaker will be required to swear in the remaining MPs from the affected constituencies, as the constitution demands, according to her.

The Supreme Court nullified the recollated results for the Okaikwei Central, Ablekuma North, Tema Central, and Techiman South constituencies, citing irregularities in the Electoral Commission's recollation process.

The apex court ruled that the procedure did not meet the required standards of transparency and fairness.

This ruling followed a legal challenge by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) against a directive issued by the High Court on 20 December, which instructed the Electoral Commission (EC) to recollate results in nine disputed constituencies.

The Supreme Court’s ruling vindicated the NDC’s stance, asserting that the recollation and subsequent declarations were improper and invalid.

Mr. Bagbin noted in Parliament on Saturday that the Supreme Court’s decision reinforced his position on the matter.