According to him, used to be under the notion that the Vice President was next in command after the President before the Speaker until he got educated not long ago.
ADVERTISEMENT
"I’m actually number 2, not number 3" – Bagbin says Supreme Court judges drew his attention
Speaker of Parliament Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin has said that his earlier claim that he was number three in Ghana when it comes to the national order of hierarchy was an error, clarifying that he is actually number two.
Alban Bagbin and Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu
ADVERTISEMENT
He said amidst loud laughter from members of Parliament that he was once in a meeting with some colleagues of his who are judges at the Supreme Court where they drew his attention to the fact that after the President, the Speaker of Parliament comes next in the hierarchy.
Mr Bagbin added that when one of the Supreme Court judges ‘upgraded’ him from the erroneous number 3 to 2, other judges agreed with him, making it legitimate.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We have three arms of government. My colleagues at the Supreme Court told me that actually, you are not number three, you are number two. All those who were present at that meeting were convinced when the Supreme court judge made the submission and justified it. It is not me saying it, I have said I am number three and they say I am number two,” Bagbin said hilariously, sparking loud laughter among the member of parliament.
It would be recalled that early this year, the Speaker made news headlines following the ‘number three’ comment he made during an argument with the Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu on the floor of parliament.
They disagreed on the authority of the speaker to set up a committee to investigate the collapse of uniBank and UT Bank following a petition to the legislature by Dr Kwabena Duffour and Prince Kofi Amoabeng.
"Hon. Majority Leader, your powers have not reached that Hon. Majority Leader, resume your seat. You don’t lead Parliament. You lead the business of the House. You lead the Majority and you lead government business. As to the role of Speaker, you've not been there yet. When you get there, you'll do so," he said.
The majority leader had tried to make the Speaker understand that the above-mentioned matter was pending in court, and parliament’s own standing orders forbid it from meddling in matters that are sub judice.
ADVERTISEMENT
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
ADVERTISEMENT
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.com.gh