Ayariga Blasts Minority: “Kpandai Dispute Must Be Debated in Full Public View”
Majority Leader insists the Kpandai dispute must be argued openly, saying Ghanaians deserve full transparency on the facts.
- Ayariga criticises the Minority for attempting to block open debate on the Kpandai parliamentary vacancy
- He stresses that discussions must be transparent and in full view of the media so Ghanaians can judge the facts
- The Majority Leader defends the Clerk of Parliament’s action to notify the EC
Parliament was thrown into chaos once again on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, as Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga sharply criticised the Minority for trying to block an open, transparent debate on the Kpandai parliamentary seat vacancy.
Amid loud jeers from the Minority side, Ayariga insisted that the matter must be discussed publicly and captured by the media, saying Ghanaians deserve to see and assess the facts for themselves.
He reminded the House that the Speaker had already ruled on the issue of the seven-day automatic stay under CI 19, which allowed the affected MP to remain in the chamber temporarily. After this period, he noted, the Speaker’s ruling would take full effect.
Ayariga argued that no meaningful ruling could be made if all sides were not heard openly:
“We will not allow this matter to be heard in secrecy. It must be addressed in the full glare of the media so Ghanaians can judge who is right.”
He further explained the constitutional duties of the Clerk of Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, in notifying the Electoral Commission (EC) about a parliamentary vacancy. According to him, the Clerk acted strictly within the timelines set by Article 112(5) of the Constitution after a High Court decision ordered a rerun in the Kpandai constituency.
Ayariga noted that the Speaker’s earlier ruling preserved the seven-day stay until December 1, after which the Clerk was constitutionally required to act. He emphasised that the Clerk wrote to the EC on December 4 because the High Court’s order had triggered the process.
He concluded that the key question before the Speaker now is whether the Clerk erred in informing the EC that the Kpandai seat had effectively become vacant.
