The Supreme Court is set to rule tomorrow on the case involving Speaker Alban Bagbin’s declaration of four parliamentary seats as vacant.

Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo announced the date after hearing final arguments from New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who filed the suit, and Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Godfred Dame.

Both sides addressed key issues concerning the extent of the Speaker's powers and the interpretation of constitutional mandates regarding parliamentary vacancies.

The proceedings took an unexpected turn when the Speaker’s legal team, led by Thaddeus Sory, failed to appear in court and did not file the mandated statement of case by Wednesday, 6 November 2024.

This absence, despite an extension granted by the court, has sparked criticism from the Attorney-General, who called the absence “disrespectful to the court and the judicial process.”

“The Speaker’s legal team’s actions are a slight to the judicial system and a disservice to due process,” the Attorney-General stated, underscoring the need for judicial respect in cases of constitutional significance.

At the heart of the case is Mr. Afenyo-Markin’s contention that Speaker Bagbin’s unilateral decision to declare the seats vacant infringes on judicial authority, disenfranchises constituents, and exceeds the Speaker’s constitutional limits.

Speaker Bagbin, however, maintains that his actions were within his mandate to uphold parliamentary integrity, arguing that MPs who declare independent status before elections violate constitutional obligations.