Speaker Declares Four Seats Vacant, Shifting Power in Ghana’s Parliament

With just two months to go before Ghana’s 2024 general elections, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin, has declared four parliamentary seats vacant. This ruling significantly alters the balance of power in Ghana’s hung parliament. The declaration gives the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) a slight majority with 136 seats, while the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) now holds 135 seats. Prior to this ruling, the NPP had a majority with 138 MPs, including the support of an Independent MP, Andrew Amoako Asiamah, while the NDC had 137.

The MPs affected by the ruling are Peter Yaw Kwakye Ackah of Amenfi Central (NDC), Andrew Amoako Asiamah of Fomena (Independent), Kojo Asante of Suhum (NPP), and Cynthia Morrison of Agona West (NPP). The decision follows a petition submitted by NDC MP Haruna Iddrisu, invoking Article 97(1)(g) of the 1992 Constitution, which mandates an MP to vacate their seat if they leave the party under which they were elected or attempt to continue as an independent candidate.

In delivering his ruling on Thursday, October 17, Speaker Bagbin stated that the constitutional provision applied to the current parliament and not just future ones. He referenced a previous incident where former Speaker Prof. Mike Oquaye expelled the Fomena MP after he went independent, noting that this precedent was not binding on him.

This ruling has sparked intense debate within the House, highlighting the political tensions between the NPP and NDC as the 2024 elections approach.

 

Report by Dede Davies

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