Political parties have no power to dictate to MPs – CDD boss on criticism of NDC MPs

Executive Director of the Centre for Democratic Development CDD-Ghana Prof. Henry Kwasi Prempeh has reiterated his argument that political parties have no power to dictate to Members of Parliament (MPs) how to vote on issues in Parliament.

He explained that MPs cannot be commandeered to vote in a particular way by their political parties, describing such actions by political parties as a democratic perversion.

“Political parties have no right to command or compel MPs of their party to cast a vote a particular way on specific matters that come before Parliament. While they are elected on a party ticket and caucus as a party in Parliament, MPs do not sit in Parliament as delegates of the party on whose ticket they got elected or even of the local constituents that voted to put them in Parliament.

"Belonging to a party suggests, at best, that an MP shares with the party certain fundamental ideals, principles, policies and positions. However, it does not mean he or she must vote in Parliament as commanded or demanded by the party. The MP’s vote in Parliament belongs to the MP, not to the party, the constituency, or any other person or interest,” he explained.

Prof Prempeh insisted that the interest of political parties is not the only variable MPs must consider in casting their vote for or against a matter in Parliament, adding that MPs that do not conduct themselves as their political parties wish can be ousted through democratic processes in their parties if the whip system fails.

“Moreover, the party’s is not the only interest an MP may weigh in the balance in casting a vote. The interest of the nation, the local constituency, his or her own convictions, all are legitimate reference points for an MP to consider and weigh in the balance, along with their party’s interest, in coming to a decision as to how to cast a vote in Parliament.

"If a party disapproves of how an MP votes in Parliament, their only democratic recourse is to contest and defeat the MP at the next primaries. The party is, of course, free to use the whip system in Parliament and other forms of lawful peer pressure, to get their MPs to toe the line.

"However, as long as the MP has not formally “crossed carpet” to the other side or declared himself an independent candidate after having been elected on the ticket of a particular party, he or she is free to vote in Parliament according to his or her own evaluation of the issue,” he stressed.

He concluded that political parties asking MPs to boycott votes in Parliament is an impermissible obstruction.

“As for parties commanding their party MPs to boycott a vote in Parliament, I think that qualifies as an impermissible obstruction of the work of Parliament under Article 122 of the Constitution,” he argued.

His comments come on the back of criticism of National Democratic Congress (NDC) for failing to disapprove some six ministers nominated by the President. The NDC has accused their MPs of betrayal after they failed to vote to disprove the six ministers even after the party expressly commanded them to reject the nominees