The tension between the Supreme Court and Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin over the extent of judicial authority in parliamentary matters has been highlighted by Kofi Bentil, Senior Vice President of IMANI Africa as risking the country's stability Bentil suggested that Speaker Bagbin could have helped to ease the mounting tensions by openly acknowledging the court's authority, even if he disagreed with its decision. "The simple thing that would have been done for everything to cool down," Bentil argued, "would have been for the Speaker to say, 'I disagree with you [Supreme Court], but I respect it.," he said on Newsfile on JoyNews monitored by MyNewsGh.com According to Bentil, this response would have demonstrated mutual respect and prevented the situation from escalating further.
This standoff can be traced back to disputes over the judiciary's interference in legislative matters, a topic that has become increasingly contentious.
The issue began when Ghana's Supreme Court delivered a ruling on voting rights for Members of Parliament (MPs) with dual roles, which stirred debate within Parliament.
Speaker Bagbin, in response, questioned the court's jurisdiction in parliamentary decisions, emphasizing Parliament's independence.