Parliament Swears in Three Controversial NPP MPs Amid Court Battle

In a dramatic turn of events, Parliament has officially sworn in three Members of Parliament (MPs) from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) whose legitimacy is currently being contested in court.

The MPs, representing the constituencies of Techiman South, Okaikwei Central, and Tema Central, took their oaths of office on Monday, despite the ongoing legal dispute over the election results in their respective areas.

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) had filed a lawsuit ahead of Parliament’s inauguration, challenging the legitimacy of the election results for these MPs.

The party pointed to discrepancies and irregularities in the collation of results from the contested constituencies, claiming that the process was marred by errors and malpractice.

The NDC’s legal challenge sought to prevent the three MPs from assuming office, arguing that their elections were invalid.

Despite these legal hurdles, the MPs were sworn in, alongside the embattled Ernest Kumi, the NPP MP for Akwatia, who also faces similar accusations related to the election results in his constituency.

The swearing-in ceremony took place in Parliament on Monday morning, with members of both the NPP and NDC present, though tensions remained high due to the pending court case.

While the ruling party hailed the ceremony as a victory for democracy, the NDC has vowed to continue its legal fight to ensure that what it considers the “irregularly elected” MPs are removed from office.

The case now hangs in the balance as the court is expected to review the evidence and make a final ruling on the legitimacy of the three MPs.

In the meantime, the MPs will perform their parliamentary duties while the dispute over their elections continues to unfold.

The swearing-in of the MPs has already sparked reactions from various political circles, with some supporters of the NDC expressing their dissatisfaction and vowing to keep the pressure on the government.

However, the NPP, which has a slim majority in Parliament, is optimistic that the court will rule in its favor, affirming the legitimacy of its members.

This situation adds to the ongoing political tension in Ghana as the country navigates through a period of electoral disputes, court cases, and public discontent.

It remains to be seen how the court’s decision will shape the balance of power in Parliament and whether further legal challenges will arise.