In a significant development in Parliament on Thursday, October 17, the speaker, Alban Bagbin, declared four parliamentary seats vacant, a move that altered the political landscape in the legislature.
The affected MPs—Cynthia Morrison (Agona West), Kojo Asante (Suhum), Andrew Asiamah (Fomena), and Peter Kwakye Ackah (Amenfi Central)— had filed to contest the 2024 general election as independent candidates.
The ruling effectively shifts the balance of power in Parliament, making the National Democratic Congress (NDC) caucus the majority, while the New Patriotic Party (NPP) caucus becomes the minority.
This development is expected to have far-reaching implications on the operations and decisions of Parliament in the lead-up to the 2024 elections.
Bagbin’s decision has affected the following four MPs.
Cynthia Morrison – Agona West
The former Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, on August 22, announced her decision to run as an independent candidate in the 2024 parliamentary elections.
She made this declaration while engaging with her constituents, stating, “God willing, I would be contesting the parliamentary election as an independent candidate. It is not about the NDC, and it is not about the NPP. It is about the development of Agona.”
This comes after she lost the NPP parliamentary primary held on Saturday, April 13, where she received 152 votes, while Christopher Arthur won the nomination with 240 votes.
Despite this setback, Morrison, who has been dedicated to the development of Agona West, urged her constituents to support her independent bid.
Boafo Kwadjo Asante – Suhum
Kwadjo Asante, the incumbent MP for Suhum on September 2, announced he also will be contesting the 2024 election as an independent candidate.
He lost the NPP parliamentary primary in January 2024 to Frank Asiedu Bekoe, popularly known as Protozoa, by a margin of 179 votes.
Frank Asiedu Bekoe emerged victorious with 496 votes, while Kwadjo Asante garnered 320 votes from the total valid votes cast, making Protozoa the new parliamentary candidate for the NPP in the Suhum Constituency.
Peter Kwakye Ackah – Amenfi Central
Kwakye-Ackah, who has chosen to run as an independent candidate in the upcoming parliamentary elections, stated that his decision was a result of what he views as unfair treatment by the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He cited the party’s endorsement of his opponent as the NDC’s parliamentary candidate for Amenfi Central as a major factor in his departure from the party.
Andrew Amoako Asiamah – Fomena
Andrew Amoako Asiamah, who entered parliament in January 2021 as an independent candidate, announced that he will contest the 2024 general election on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party.
On October 13, 2020, the NPP wrote to the Speaker of Parliament to trigger the provisions of Article 97 (1)g for the seat in the house to be declared vacant.
The Speaker delivered his ruling on the request in parliament on Saturday just before the chairperson of the Electoral Commission addressed MPs on their state of preparedness for the 2020 polls.