Minority Boycotts Ablekuma North MP Swearing-In
A dramatic walkout by the Minority Caucus in Parliament marred the swearing-in of the new Member of Parliament (MP) for Ablekuma North, Ewurabena Aubynn, after a dispute over parliamentary procedure.
The Minority, led by its Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, stormed out of the chamber moments before the official ceremony, protesting what they described as an attempt to stifle their voice in the legislative process.
The walkout was triggered when the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, ruled that the Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, could not make a preliminary comment before the new MP was sworn in.
According to the Speaker, the House procedure only allows leaders of both sides to make remarks after a swearing-in has taken place.
But the Minority Chief Whip, Annoh-Dompreh, had insisted on making a comment before the oath was administered, a request the Speaker rejected. In a brief statement before exiting, Mr. Annoh-Dompreh declared that the Minority could not be part of a ceremony that disregarded their right to be heard, and led his colleagues out of the chamber.
The protest drew sharp criticism and concern, prompting Speaker Bagbin to deliver a reflective address immediately after the incident.
He cautioned both sides of the House, particularly the Majority, to embrace patience and tolerance, emphasising that Parliament must be a platform where all voices, especially those in the Minority, are heard and respected.
“Former Presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Dramani Mahama admonished that the NDC should not abuse its two-thirds majority,” Mr. Bagbin stated and continued, “The Minority should always have their say. We should not stifle the Minority voice. The Majority must act as the father and mother of the nation.”
Using a parable, the Speaker likened the brevity of a lion’s life to the destructive consequences of intolerance and aggression, contrasting it with the longevity of the tortoise as a symbol of wisdom and restraint.
“Lions, especially the males, don’t live long. But the tortoise lives for hundreds of years. There’s a good reason for that,” Mr. Bagbin said, urging members to adopt humility and avoid the rising culture of aggression in the chamber.
He continued, “This House is now full of shouting. That is not how we started the Fourth Republican Parliament. Let’s tone down and continue to work together. What God has decreed, nobody can undo.”
Despite the absence of the Minority, Speaker Bagbin proceeded with the swearing-in of Ewurabena Aubynn, who now officially represents Ablekuma North following the rerun election.
The Speaker expressed hope that the next by-election at Akwatia would be more peaceful than what was witnessed in Ablekuma North, and congratulated the new MP on her historic entry into the House.
“With this, once again, I congratulate our latest, our youngest, our newest Member of Parliament from Ablekuma North. You are welcome,” he said.
The sitting was briefly suspended for five minutes after the ceremony.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House