Former Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has criticised Parliament’s decision to notify the Electoral Commission (EC) of a vacancy in the Kpandai Constituency.
He insisted that only a court has the constitutional mandate to declare a parliamentary seat vacant.
Speaking in an interview on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Tuesday, December 12, he expressed deep concern over what he described as an overreach by the Speaker and the Parliamentary Service.
According to him, the processes that should legally lead to a declaration of vacancy have not been completed, making Parliament’s action not just premature but fundamentally wrong.
“The Parliament in this case is not clothed with authority to declare the seat vacant. It is the court, and the processes have not been concluded. So, how can Parliament intervene and say they have declared the seat vacant? It is totally wrong,” he stated.
When asked what options exist to challenge the Speaker’s directive, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu was unequivocal.
“The Minority must immediately challenge the directive of the Speaker. They should take it from there whilst continuing their own legal battles in court. Because what happens if, after all this, the court continues the matter tomorrow and reverses the decision? This situation is very unfortunate,” he argued.
He added that the Speaker’s handling of the matter appears “selective and most inappropriate,” warning that such decisions risk undermining parliamentary integrity and established constitutional processes.
The controversy stems from a letter issued last week by the Parliamentary Service to the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa. The letter, signed by the Clerk to Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, purported to confirm a vacancy in the Kpandai seat following a High Court ruling ordering a re-run of the 2024 Parliamentary Election.
That notification effectively triggers the administrative steps towards a by-election to elect a new Member of Parliament for the area.
However, the Minority Caucus has called on Parliament to immediately withdraw the official letter notifying the EC of a vacancy in the Kpandai Constituency, describing the action as unlawful and procedurally flawed.
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