Vacant Seats Controversy: NDC Remains Majority in Parliament – Agbodza

The Member of Parliament for Adaklu, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has given an indication that the National Democratic (NDC) caucus in Parliament will take the majority side when the house resumes sitting on Thursday.

MP for Adaklu, Kwame Governs Agbodza, who until the ruling was the Minority Chief Whip, insisted that the decision by the four affected MPs to contest as independent candidates going into the 2024 elections automatically robs them of their seats in Parliament.

“As far as I am concerned, the four colleagues have actually vacated their seats in accordance with Article 97, since they are not going to renege on that decision not to contest, they are no longer valid members of parliament.”

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, on Thursday, October 17, 2024, declared four seats in parliament vacant, following a petition from Tamale South MP, Haruna Iddrisu, invoking Article 97 (1)(g) of the 1992 constitution.The affected MPs include NDC MP for Amenfi Central, Peter Yaw Kwakye Ackah, and three other MPs from the NPP including, Kojo Asante, MP for Suhum in the Eastern Region, and Cynthia Morrison of Agona West constituency who have filed to contest the December 7 election as independent candidates.

The other affected person is Andrew Amoakoh Asiamah, MP Fomena who entered the 8th Parliament as an independent candidate but has since filed to contest the next election as an NPP candidate—a party he belonged to until the 2020 elections.