By: Christian Kpesese
It was an atmosphere parliamentary watchers could describe as unprecedented in Ghana’s parliamentary history when Minority New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, descended to the well of the House in a dramatic protest over the declaration of the Kpandai constituency seat as vacant.
Dressed in black to mourn what they called the “death of parliamentary democracy,” the Minority caucus, after hours of chanting, singing war songs, banging desks, and waving placards, marched into the centre of the chamber to intensify their protest against a letter from the Clerk to Parliament notifying the Electoral Commission of the vacancy.
The unrest began when Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, delivered an urgent statement at the start of sitting presided over by First Deputy Speaker, Bernard Ahiafor, challenging the declaration affecting NPP MP Matthew Nyindam.
The Minority repeatedly blocked Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga from responding, drowning his attempts with loud interjections and singing. Proceedings were suspended, and after a long break, Speaker Alban Bagbin assumed the chair.
Tensions heightened as the Speaker insisted the Majority Leader must be heard before he could issue a ruling. Mr. Ayariga delivered his remarks despite the uproar, accusing the Minority of “pretending to be democrats while paralysing the House.”
The Speaker, however, deferred his ruling due to the volatile atmosphere and ordered the continuation of parliamentary business.
Rejecting the Speaker’s stance, the Minority escalated their demonstration, with Chief Whip Annoh-Dompreh warning that government business would not proceed until the Kpandai issue was resolved. They maintained that declaring the seat vacant was premature because appeals were still pending before both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
Yet, despite the chaos, government business continued.
A voice vote in favour allowed proceedings to move forward, and the Majority capitalised on the situation to adopt nearly all advertised committee reports on the 2026 budget estimates for ministries, departments, and agencies.
Marshals formed a barrier between the two caucuses to prevent a near-physical clash and guarded the mace as tensions simmered.
The Clerk’s letter dated December 4, 2025 stated that the Kpandai seat had become vacant following a Tamale High Court order for a rerun of the parliamentary election.
The Minority insists the matter is sub judice and vowed to sustain its resistance.
Parliament is expected to reconvene on Wednesday, December 10, 2025.
