On Tuesday, December 10, Ghana's Parliament descended into unprecedented chaos, marked by disruptions and a brief scuffle, all stemming from the contentious declaration of the Kpandai parliamentary seat as vacant. The disturbance erupted amidst fiery exchanges over a letter sent by the Parliamentary Service to the Electoral Commission (EC), signed by the Clerk to Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, purporting to confirm a vacancy in the Kpandai seat following a High Court ruling for a re-run of the 2024 Parliamentary Election. This communication initiated administrative processes for a by-election, but the Minority Caucus swiftly condemned it as unlawful and procedurally irregular, demanding its immediate withdrawal and asserting that the Clerk acted without proper authorization.

The Speaker of Parliament was forced to suspend sitting as members of the Minority Caucus stormed the center of the chamber, abandoning their seats and instigating the disruptions. Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga had earlier criticized the Minority's ongoing protests for obstructing parliamentary business. When the Speaker attempted to continue proceedings after a voice vote, despite the Minority's demands for adjournment, the Minority responded with loud chants and repeated attempts to halt legislative activities, with some even wearing face masks. Earlier tensions saw the Minority blocking Ayariga from responding to demands for the letter's withdrawal.

Prominent figures have weighed in on the parliamentary fracas. Dr. Tony Aidoo, former Deputy Minister and Ambassador to the Netherlands, strongly condemned the Members of Parliament involved, stating they should be stripped of their “Honourable” titles for bringing Parliament into disrepute. He described their actions as "far beyond the bounds of legitimate parliamentary dissent," a "total attempt at filibustering," and a breach of democratic conduct, showing disrespect to the Speaker. Dr. Aidoo expressed regret over the decline of Ghana's democratic culture, lamenting that it has created "a minority class of parasites" neglecting national interest for party gain. He called for the Speaker to have been more decisive, suggesting he "should have walked them out."

Former Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu questioned the legitimacy of the Clerk's letter, arguing it contradicted established parliamentary practice and raised concerns about inconsistent application of procedure. He drew a direct comparison to the Gyakye Quayson case, where the Speaker insisted that court communications concerning an MP must be directed to the Speaker, not the Clerk, and cautioned against rushing to communicate court decisions to the EC. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stressed that it is unprecedented for a Clerk to act on such matters independently, asserting that such decisions typically involve leadership consultation and Speaker instruction.

Adding to the Minority's resolve, Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, affirmed that the Caucus would maintain "continuous and lawful resistance" until the Kpandai vacancy correspondence is formally rescinded. He expressed disbelief at what he perceived as an an "abrupt reversal" by the Speaker, whose directive to the Clerk conflicted with an earlier ruling on the same matter. Assafuah warned that the Minority would not cooperate with government business under these circumstances.

Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga further criticized the Minority for their "cowardly" and "shameful" actions, particularly the wearing of face masks to disrupt proceedings. He argued that such behavior undermines the dignity of the House and Ghana’s commitment to the rule of law, questioning why MPs convinced of their stance would conceal their identities. Ayariga warned that allowing such conduct would "destroy the democracy."

Political Scientist Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante of the University of Ghana asserted that the ongoing tensions are driven by "pure politics and tactics," rather than legal principles. He emphasized that Parliament's actions cannot overrule a court ruling, making the confrontations "needless." Dr. Asah-Asante criticized the "unnecessary political posturing" and acknowledged that the current numerical structure of Parliament often leads to the majority "bulldozing their way through." He urged both sides to adopt a more cooperative approach for the sake of national interest. Parliament is expected to reconvene as leadership strategizes on the next steps regarding the Kpandai rerun and the disruptions.