Afenyo-Markin challenges Ahiafor’s sub judice ruling, calls it ‘dangerous precedent’ – Nsemkeka
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has formally petitioned the Speaker of Parliament to overturn a March 5, 2025, ruling by the First Deputy Speaker, describing it as a “dangerous precedent” that weakens parliamentary democracy.
In his written submission, the Effutu MP argued that the decision which blocked Private Members’ Motion No. 16 on sub judice grounds was legally flawed.
The motion had sought to debate the Chief of Staff’s controversial directive revoking public sector appointments.
But First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor ruled it could not proceed because the matter was before the Supreme Court in Henry Nana Boakye v. Attorney-General.
Afenyo-Markin contends the ruling misapplied the sub judice rule, effectively allowing pending litigation to silence Parliament’s oversight role.
He cited the Supreme Court’s May 6, 2025, decision in Vincent Ekow Assafuah v. Attorney-General, which clarified that constitutional bodies must operate unless explicitly restrained by a court order.
The Minority Leader also referenced a 2012 ruling by then-Speaker Joyce Bamford-Addo, which upheld Parliament’s right to deliberate on public issues despite related court cases.
He warned that the March 5 decision sets a harmful precedent, enabling strategic litigation to block legislative scrutiny.
Invoking Standing Order 127, Mr Afenyo-Markin urged the Speaker to reverse the ruling, stressing that “the people deserve robust legislative oversight” of executive actions affecting citizens’ welfare.
The Speaker is expected to respond in due course.