The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin has officially declared four parliamentary seats vacant, significantly altering the balance of power in Ghana’s Parliament. This decision comes just two months before the general election in December.
The declaration affects seats held by Peter Yaw Kwakye Ackah of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Amenfi Central, Andrew Amoako Asiamah of Fomena, Kojo Asante of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for Suhum, and Cynthia Morrison of the NPP for Agona West.
According to the Speaker, the four MPs had indicated their intention to run as independent candidates in the upcoming elections, making them ineligible to retain their seats under Article 97(1)(g) of the 1992 Constitution.
The ruling shifts the composition of Parliament. The NDC, which had 137 seats, now holds 136, giving them a slight majority over the NPP, which now controls 135 seats. Prior to this, the NPP had maintained a small advantage as the Majority side with 138 seats, bolstered by the support of Independent MP Andrew Amoako Asiamah.
This shift followed a petition led by former Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, sparking intense debate within Parliament. The petition called for the enforcement of Article 97(1)(g), which mandates that MPs vacate their seats if they depart from the party under which they were elected or attempt to stay in Parliament as independents.
In light of a previous case where former Speaker Prof. Mike Oquaye removed Amoako Asiamah from Parliament after he opted to run as an independent, Speaker Bagbin clarified that this precedent did not bind him or any future Speakers. 
Following two days of deliberation, he ruled that the MPs had no legal basis to remain in the current Parliament after deciding to stand as independents.
This development marks a significant shift in Ghana’s political landscape, with the NDC now holding a majority in Parliament as the country heads into a closely contested general election.
