Parliamentary proceedings were thrown into disarray when the Minority caucus blocked the Majority side after a letter signed and issued by the Clerk to Parliament, declaring the Kpandai Constituency seat vacant was submitted to the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC).
The disruption which saw Minority MPs chanting, banging tables and preventing the Majority Leader from speaking forced the Speaker to suspend proceedings temporarily.
The uproar follows a ruling by the Tamale High Court on November 24, 2025, which annulled the 2024 parliamentary election results in Kpandai and ordered a fresh election within 30 days. The court found that there were procedural irregularities at 41 out of 152 polling stations in the constituency, undermining the credibility of the election.
Although the court ordered a rerun, the question of when and how the seat should be declared vacant has become contested.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has said that immediate vacancy is premature, invoking the law’s mandatory seven-day “stay of execution” provision for appealable High Court rulings.
What the Minority says
The Minority through its Chief Whip Frank Annoh‑Dompreh and Leader Alexander Afenyo‑Markin — argues that the letter notifying the EC of a vacancy was “out of place,” premature, procedurally flawed and unlawful, particularly because a stay of execution and an appeal had been filed.
They also warn that the court’s order which annulled the entire constituency’s election because of irregularities in only some polling stations sets a dangerous precedent, potentially encouraging electoral sabotage if misused in future elections.
The Minority has threatened that “government business will suffer” until the Kpandai issue is resolved.
What the Majority and Speaker say
On the other side, the Majority insists that the High Court’s decision must be respected and that the seat should be declared vacant to pave the way for the rerun, arguing that continuing with the MP as though nothing happened undermines electoral justice.
But the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, has repeatedly cautioned against hasty action. He maintained that until the statutory stay expires and any appeal processes are concluded, the seat cannot legitimately be declared vacant.
The wider implications
The confrontation has disrupted Parliament’s business and raised serious questions about the interplay between judicial decisions, electoral integrity, and parliamentary procedure. Observers warn that the dispute could stall crucial legislation and deepen partisan tensions if not resolved swiftly.
For constituents in Kpandai, the rerun offers a chance to reclaim representation, but only if the process is handled transparently and fairly, respecting both judicial rulings and legal safeguards.
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