BY Daniel Bampoe
A fresh wave of parliamentary tension erupted on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, as the Minority Caucus staged a dramatic protest in the chamber, rejecting the official declaration of the Kpandai parliamentary seat as vacant.
The development, which led to a temporary suspension of proceedings, underscores the deepening political dispute surrounding the High Court’s order for a rerun of the Kpandai parliamentary election.
The controversy traces back to the aftermath of the 2024 general elections, when the results of the Kpandai constituency became the subject of a prolonged legal battle.
The defeated candidate challenged the validity of the declared winner, citing electoral irregularities and procedural breaches.
The case, filed under Suit Number NR/TL/HC/E13/22/25, wound its way through the High Court in Tamale, culminating in a ruling on November 24, 2025, which nullified the election and directed the Electoral Commission (EC) to conduct a rerun.
Following the ruling, Parliament became an interested party—not only because the outcome affected its composition, but also because the Clerk to Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, had been named as the fourth respondent in the court proceedings.
In compliance with the judgment, the Clerk on December 4, 2025, wrote formally to EC Chairperson Jean Mensa, notifying the Commission that the Kpandai seat had become vacant.
That letter, however, triggered an uproar in Parliament.
When the House convened on Tuesday, Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh rose to strongly challenge the Clerk’s decision, describing it as “out of place,” “unfortunate,” and a clear violation of parliamentary procedure and rule of law.
According to the Minority, the Clerk acted prematurely and without the full authorization of Parliament.
“Mr Speaker, there is a letter that was sent into the House to declare the Kpandai seat vacant. That letter is out of place, unfortunate, and goes against the rule of law. We strongly submit that the letter must be withdrawn by Parliament. We in the Minority will not agree to the writing of this letter,” Annoh-Dompreh stated.
His declaration set off a coordinated protest on the Minority side.
Clad in black to symbolize resistance, members stood on their feet, sang patriotic songs, and loudly hooted at the Clerk as he attempted to restore order.
Their actions brought parliamentary business to an abrupt halt, compelling the Speaker to suspend the sitting as tensions escalated.
The Minority insists that the Clerk’s notice to the EC was procedurally flawed, emphasizing that Parliament had not debated or adopted any formal communication on the status of the Kpandai seat.
They argue that administrative compliance with a court ruling must still pass through parliamentary scrutiny.
Within the constituency itself, key traditional and political leaders have remained mostly calm.
Earlier in the day, the Paramount Chief of the Kpandai Traditional Area publicly stated that the area remained peaceful and that no residents were resisting the court-ordered rerun.
Former MP Mathew Nyindam, a central figure in the legal challenge, also signaled readiness to contest again, saying, “Wherever my destiny lands me, so be it.”
But in Accra, the storm continues to brew.
The Minority has again demanded a complete withdrawal of the Clerk’s letter, insisting that due parliamentary process must be respected before notifying the EC.
To them, the issue transcends Kpandai and touches on institutional overreach and procedural fidelity.
