Journalist Melvin Mansaray Blames APC for Speaker’s ‘Erroneous’ Constitutional Ruling

Parliamentary analyst Melvin Tejan Mansaray has blamed the All People’s Congress (APC) for what he described as an “erroneous” ruling by the Speaker of Parliament on the interpretation of the two-thirds requirement for constitutional amendments.

Speaking on AYV’s Front Page programme, Mansaray questioned the Speaker’s interpretation and called for the matter to undergo further constitutional scrutiny. He argued that the APC contributed to the situation by supporting an amendment that allows a politician, rather than a jurist, to preside over Parliament.

Mansaray cited previous parliamentary precedents, including rulings under former Speaker Dr Chernor Abass Bundu, and maintained that the current interpretation should be tested against both the wording and intention of Section 108 of the 1991 Constitution.

He argued that the Constitutional Court should ultimately determine whether the Speaker’s interpretation is constitutionally valid, stressing that “you cannot use an exception to the rule as the rule.”

Mansaray also called on President Julius Maada Bio not to assent to the proposed constitutional amendments if they are presented to him. He said the President should instead return the document to Parliament for further consideration and proper constitutional diligence.

His comments come amid continued debate over the constitutional amendment process, the parliamentary threshold required under Section 108, and the role of the Speaker in interpreting constitutional provisions.

The analyst maintained that the matter should be resolved through constitutional interpretation rather than political arguments, with the focus placed on ensuring that parliamentary procedures comply with the “letter and spirit” of the Constitution.

Mansaray’s remarks add to wider public scrutiny of Parliament’s procedures, the powers of the Speaker and the role of the Constitutional Court in resolving constitutional disputes. In 2025, he was barred from entering Parliament by Speaker Segepoh Solomon Thomas following criticism of parliamentary decisions, a development that attracted concern from press-freedom organisations.