Justice Issifu Omoro Amadu Tanko was one of two Justices of the Supreme Court (JSC) who dissented in the Supreme Court’s 5-2 ruling on the vacant seats controversy case. The other dissenting judge was Avril Lovelace-Johnson, JSC.
The seven-member panel led by the Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo delivered an abridged ruling on Tuesday, November 12, 2024.
Aside Tanko, Lovelace-Johnson and the CJ, the remaining justices were Ernest Yao Gaewu, Mariama Owusu, Kwame Asiedu and Yaw Darko Asare.
Justice Amadu Tanko is Ghana’s first Muslim JSC following his appointment in May 2020 by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Thaddeus Sory, lawyer for the first defendant, Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, was again absent from court.
With the case determined, four MPs whose seats had been declared vacant by the Speaker of Parliament can remain in their roles till the end of the life of this Parliament.
Who are the MPs whose seats were declared vacant?
They are Cynthia Mamle Morrison, Peter Yaw Kwakye-Ackah, Andrews Asiamah Amoako, and Kwadjo Asante.
Morrison, the NPP MP for Agona West has now filed to contest as an independent candidate in 2024 whiles Kwadjo Asante (NPP MP for Suhum) has also taken the same path.
And then there’s Andrews Asiamah Amoako, the current second deputy speaker who is in Parliament as an independent MP, Asiamah has filed to contest on the ticket of the NPP.
For the NDC side, its member for Amenfi Central, Peter Yaw Kwakye-Ackah has filed to contest as an independent candidate in 2024.
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