Suit against E-levy passage is just to please NDC sympathizers – Afenyo-Markin

The Deputy Majority Leader, Hon Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin has described the Minority’s suit at the court as a way to please the forces and sympathizers of the National Democratic Congress.

He explained that James Gyekye Quayson, embattled Assin North MP though was in his office, but was legally barred from entering the chamber considering the fact that, his election had been annulled by the Court and there was no process of appeal before any court of appeal to warrant a stay of the high court judgement, and they the minority ensured that he didnt come to the house, and our numbers at that time was 274, he added.

Hon Afenyo-Markin was speaking on News File, a Political and social affairs program on Joys news tv channel last Saturday, April 2nd, 2022.

“The fact of the matter, on that fateful day the E-levy was passed, we had 274 members because of the annulment of the Assin North elections, and the Minority leadership ensured that he didnt come to the chamber” so why cant they be truthful to their sympathizers and stop leading them astray, he noted.

He further pointed out, that the Minority had 136 members at that time and assuming all of them were even present,
the quorum for taking such decisions ought to be half of the House. Half of the House would, therefore, be 137, not 138, not Markin said.

Though Hon Adwoa Safo wasn’t around at the time of proceedings, the Majority still had the 137 required to pass the bill without the Minority, that must also be well noted.

The Minority cannot argue on the basis that Parliament required 138 to make such a decision since the number of MPs by law at the time, were 274 and not 275, he concluded.