Private legal practitioner and seasoned politician, Captain Nkrabea Effah Dartey, has called on President John Dramani Mahama, Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, and Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin to immediately apologise to Ghanaians for creating a constitutional anomaly.
He stated that the President, Vice President, and Speaker owe the nation an apology for creating the current situation.
According to him, the absence of both the President and Vice President has created a vacuum that violates the constitutional process, which he described as “improper and an abuse of the constitution.”
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show, Captain Effah Dartey suggested a constitutional amendment to address this issue.
“There should be an article inserted to ensure that in the absence of both the President and the Vice President, the Speaker can automatically step in as Acting President without the need for a swearing-in ceremony,” he said.
His comments come in the wake of a Facebook post by President Mahama on Sunday, May 11, in which he stated that he had visited Vice President Opoku-Agyemang, who is reportedly on a well-deserved rest following an illness.
The President assured that she would resume her duties soon.
But Captain Effah Dartey noted that until this amendment is made, the vacuum created is highly improper.
“It’s an abuse of the constitutional process. The government is not just made up of the President, Vice President, and Speaker. We have justices, Members of Parliament, and others who are all part of the governance structure” he stated.
He added that no soldier could hold a military coup, stressing his opposition to military takeovers.
“If the President is not around, and the Vice President is also absent, then the Acting Chief Justice should swear in the Speaker to serve as President and fill the void,” he said.
Captain Effah Dartey therefore urged for immediate action to resolve the situation, especially if President Mahama remains out of the country.
“The Acting Chief Justice should be empowered to swear in the Speaker and right this wrong,” he stated.
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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
