The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Caucus in Parliament says the letter written by the Fomena MP to the Speaker of Parliament indicating his willingness to work with the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) does not give them 138 or majority numbers in the 8th Parliament.
At a press conference on Thursday, the leader of the NDC Caucus in Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu noted that the letter by Fomena MP, Andrew Asiamah does not mean he is joining the NPP.
Citing Article 97 Clause 1 h of the 1992 constitution, which says ‘a Member of Parliament shall vacate his sit if he was elected as an independent candidates and joins a political party’ Mr Iddrisu cautioned the the Fomena MP that any attempt to join the NPP will be in breach of article
“We have heard that the Fomena MP, who is the only independent MP has written to the Speaker and I am quoting verbatim from his text that ‘I shall, for the purposes of transacting business in the House associate with the NPP.’ Get the words, he did not say ‘I am joining the NPP’.”
“He is not seeking to join the political party, therefore, nobody should do easy mathematics of 137 plus one. Because all the Fomena MP said was ‘I will cooperate and collaborate’ and that is different from joining,” he cautioned.
The Tamale South MP further noted that the NDC Caucus has no qualms sitting at the left-hand side of the Speaker, however, they will not be described as the Minority in Parliament.
“A week ago, the Clerk of Parliament read a letter from the Electoral Commission. The said correspondent indicated that the NDC had 137 seats and the NPP also 137 seats and one independent MP. Therefore, from the official correspondent of the EC, neither the NDC nor NPP has a majority in Parliament.
“So ladies and gentlemen of the media, nobody should be engaged in any fruitless effort to add on what he or she does not have. This is because, by official records, the Parliament of Ghana is of one of equal strength and equal numbers,” he stressed.