Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has indefinitely adjourned parliamentary proceedings following a chaotic session on Tuesday, October 22. The session was marked by heated exchanges between MPs from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) over which caucus holds the Majority in Parliament.
In his announcement, Bagbin briefly acknowledged receiving a communication from the Supreme Court directing him to stay his earlier ruling, which had declared four parliamentary seats vacant. However, he did not provide further details, leaving both MPs and the public uncertain about the full implications of the Court’s directive.
Explaining the decision to adjourn, Bagbin said that while there were enough MPs present to conduct business, the House lacked the numbers to make binding decisions. “Hon. Members, we don’t have at least half of all the Members of Parliament present. Consequently, in view of the current circumstances, the fact that there’s a question on the composition and constitution of Parliament, and having regard to the public interest and the exigencies of the affairs in Parliament, I will proceed to in accordance with standing order 59 adjourn the house indefinitely, that is sine die.”
He added, “I have consulted leadership, and I’m exercising my discretion to suspend the meeting of the house indefinitely. The house is accordingly adjourned sine die.”
This decision is tied to the legal dispute over four parliamentary seats—two from the NPP, one from the NDC, and one held by an independent MP—that Bagbin declared vacant on October 17. The Supreme Court’s intervention has paused the Speaker’s ruling, adding further complexity to the already tense political situation.
The seats in question are Agona West (Cynthia Morrison), Fomena (Andrew Asiamah), Suhum (Kwadjo Asante), and Amenfi Central (Peter Kwakye Ackah).
Earlier in the day, NPP MPs staged a dramatic walkout, leaving the NDC to occupy both sides of the Chamber. This action was taken in response to ongoing disagreements over which party holds the Majority, a contentious issue since Bagbin’s ruling on October 17. The walkout resulted in a lack of quorum, prompting Bagbin to cite this as the reason for suspending proceedings.
By choosing not to disclose the full contents of the Supreme Court’s communication, Bagbin has left many questions unanswered, particularly regarding the future of the vacant seats and the composition of Parliament.
With the indefinite adjournment, the political uncertainty continues as both the NPP and NDC await further developments from the Supreme Court on the status of the contested seats.
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