Former Minority Leader in Parliament, and Tamale South MP Haruna Iddrisu, has levelled accusations against the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, citing a breach of the constitution in the re-composition of the Parliamentary Service Board.
Iddrisu contends that Bagbin failed to adhere to Article 124 of the 1992 Constitution, which stipulates the formation of a committee to advise the Speaker on re-composing the Parliamentary Service Board following a reshuffle in the Minority caucus leadership last year. He expressed these concerns during the establishment of a committee aimed at advising the Speaker on the re-composition of the board after changes in the Majority leadership.
According to Iddrisu, the prolonged absence of the reconstituted board, chaired by Bagbin, raises constitutional concerns. He emphasized that no one, including the Speaker, should be considered above the 1992 Constitution.
“The changes in the Minority leadership happened over a year ago, so over the year, what has the Parliamentary Service Board been doing with the Speaker as chair with the participation of Ato Forson? That is unconstitutional, illegal, and unacceptable. The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, is not above the 1992 Constitution. He is not above the constitution, and therefore, when we are talking about illegalities, I worry when they are unconstitutional,” stated Iddrisu.
However, Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin countered Iddrisu's claims, asserting that Speaker Bagbin followed due process in re-composing the Parliamentary Service Board.
“The contention of my very senior colleague and respected Minority Leader who is arguing that this has rather come too late, it has not, and I will want to argue with you on that. When you left the chair, the needful, as you complained about, was done, and the record bears me out. You are arguing that constitutionally, why has Speaker [Alban] Bagbin breached the constitution, and I did contend that he has not? The former leader of this House did the needful,” Afenyo-Markin remarked.