Kpandai Vacant Seat: Speaker Must Follow Gyakye Quayson Precedent – Kyei-Mensah Bonsu
Former Majority Leader says the declaration of the Kpandai seat as vacant must align with precedent and judicial process to avoid discrimination and parliamentary disgrace.
- Former Majority Leader Bonsu stresses the Speaker’s declaration of Kpandai as vacant must follow judicial precedent and consistency
- Minority Caucus calls for immediate withdrawal of the vacancy letter to the EC, labeling it unlawful and flawed
- Parliamentary proceedings descended into chaos as debate over the Kpandai by-election intensified
Parliament was thrown into chaos yesterday following the declaration that the Kpandai parliamentary seat is vacant, a decision that has drawn sharp criticism from the Minority Caucus and sparked debates over procedural fairness.
The controversy centers on a letter issued last week by the Parliamentary Service to the Electoral Commission (EC), signed by the Clerk to Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror. The letter formally notified the EC of a vacancy in the Kpandai seat, following a High Court ruling ordering a re-run of the 2024 parliamentary election. This action effectively sets the stage for a by-election.
Speaking on Lawson TV Ghana Se Sen Show with Kwame Tanko, former Majority Leader Hon. Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu weighed in on the unfolding drama.
He argued that the current situation should be evaluated in light of past precedence, particularly the Gyakye Quayson case.
“The court made a declaration; it is not about death, or a person crossing carpet,” Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said. “If a court makes a declaration and no appeal is filed, that is the end of it. But if an appeal is filed and the process is unsuccessful, the original conviction holds.”
He explained that in the Gyakye Quayson case, after the Supreme Court quashed the initial decision, Quayson appealed to the Appeals Court but was still unsuccessful. Despite a stay of execution, a by-election was eventually held following proper procedural steps.
“Speaker said that irreparable damage will be done to Gyakye Quayson if the appeal process is held while continuing with a by-election. The decision is fundamentally about the consistency of the Speaker.”
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu also urged the Minority to remember the Speaker’s prior statements during the Gyakye Quayson case: “What we did yesterday, why can’t it be done today? To act differently now risks discrimination and brings confusion that tarnishes the reputation of Parliament.”
The Minority Caucus has called on Parliament to immediately withdraw the official letter to the EC, describing it as unlawful and procedurally flawed.
Their insistence on halting the by-election contributed to heightened tensions in the House, disrupting parliamentary business and leading to hours of heated debate.
