Member of Parliament for Ofoase Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has accused the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) of pursuing what he describes as a “pre-advertised agenda” to remove key officials and secure numerical dominance in Parliament in order to pass constitutional amendments.
His comments come in the wake of Tuesday’s dramatic suspension of parliamentary proceedings, triggered by Minority MPs who protested a letter from the Clerk to Parliament declaring the Kpandai seat vacant. The December 4 letter, addressed to Electoral Commission Chairperson Jean Mensa, followed a High Court ruling ordering a rerun of the constituency’s parliamentary election.
Minority MPs, clad in black, interrupted proceedings by chanting patriotic songs, banging tables, and hooting at Clerk Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror. They argued the letter was unlawful and demanded its immediate withdrawal. Speaker Alban Bagbin later suspended the sitting after Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga was repeatedly prevented from responding.
Speaking to journalists after the chaotic session, Oppong Nkrumah drew comparisons with the circumstances leading to the exit of former Electoral Commission Chairperson Charlotte Osei. He stressed that her removal resulted from petitions and counter-petitions not from political interference.
“In that case, the EC Chair, Madam Charlotte Osei, petitioned for the removal of her deputies, and they counter-petitioned her. The outcome of those petitions led to her exit. More importantly, there was no pre-advertised agenda to remove her,” he explained.
Nkrumah contrasted that scenario with what he called a calculated and coordinated effort by the current administration to remove the Chief Justice and target the EC leadership under the guise of procedural processes.
“There is a pre-advertised agenda to get rid of the EC Commissioner and her deputies. It is being rolled out under the excuse of procedure,” he claimed, warning that the ultimate aim is to secure an overwhelming parliamentary majority to push through constitutional amendments.
He urged the Speaker to resist pressure to declare the Kpandai seat vacant, insisting that the issue had already been settled.
“No amount of pressure should compel him to make that declaration,” he emphasised, calling on MPs to guard against attempts to manipulate parliamentary numbers.
