You sacrificed what's right on altar of political expediency, it has come back to haunt you; go back and stop being overly emotional— Prof. Gyampo tells NPP caucus

Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo, has advised the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament to reconsider their decision to boycott Parliament, following Speaker Alban Bagbin’s declaration of four seats vacant.

The Speaker’s ruling shifted the parliamentary majority to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The NPP caucus, led by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, staged a walkout in protest and vowed not to return until the Supreme Court rules on the matter.

Prof. Gyampo cautioned the NPP against being overly emotional and called on them to return to Parliament to ensure the continuation of critical government business, especially with elections fast approaching.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Prof. Gyampo highlighted the potential consequences of the boycott, warning that governance could be disrupted and key bills would be left unattended.

“The best thing the NPP Caucus has to do is to be in Parliament and continue contributing to parliamentary sittings,” he emphasized.

He added that the NPP set a precedent by misinterpreting the law in 2020 which has come back to hit them, stating, “As I said, if you sacrifice what is right on the altar of political expediency, it comes back to haunt you."

“The NPP misapplied and misinterpreted the law in 2020, today the same has happened and it goes against them, I think they should just lick their wounds and not be overly emotional,” he expressed.

Prof. Gyampo further urged the NPP to work with the NDC caucus to ensure that the necessary bills and government tasks are completed before the upcoming elections, suggesting that a boycott would be counterproductive for both the party and the nation.

Parliament’s balance of power shifted on October 17, 2024, when Speaker Bagbin declared the seats of four NPP MPs vacant, making the NDC the Majority with 136 seats against the NPP’s 135.