Parliament on Tuesday, 22nd July, witnessed a dramatic walkout by the Minority Caucus during the swearing-in of the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) Ewurabena Aubynn as the new Member of Parliament (MP) for Ablekuma North.
The Minority staged the protest after the Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon Alban Bagbin, declined their request to comment before the ceremony commenced.
The Speaker explained that parliamentary procedure only allows comments after the swearing-in. This was after the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga had first rejected the Minority Chief Whip, Annoh-Dompreh’s request, citing existing parliamentary rules.
Unhappy with this directive, the Minority MPs walked out of the chamber.
The protest appears to be rooted in the Minority’s ongoing rejection of the by-election rerun results, which they claim were tainted by violence and electoral irregularities.
Ms Aubynn emerged victorious in the July 11 partial rerun of the Ablekuma North parliamentary election, which was initially annulled by the Electoral Commission following procedural breaches and security incidents during the 2024 general polls.
Her swearing-in has increased the NDC’s strength in Parliament to 184 seats, with four independent MPs, while the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) now holds 86 seats.
The Minority has repeatedly accused the NDC of manipulating the rerun process to overturn the NPP’s previous lead in the constituency. They allege widespread intimidation and misconduct during the voting exercise, insisting that the election was neither free nor fair.
Ablekuma North was a hotspot during the 2024 general elections after violent clashes between supporters of the two major parties led to disruptions in some polling stations. The Electoral Commission later annulled the results in those areas and ordered a rerun in 19 polling stations to restore electoral integrity.
Despite the Minority’s boycott, the swearing-in went ahead under the supervision of the Speaker.
In his remarks, Mr Bagbin urged the new MP to dedicate herself to diligent service, uphold discipline, and stay committed to the people of Ablekuma North.
“You are now the hope of the people of the constituency. They are looking up to you to do something to improve their lives,” the Speaker advised.
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