After Ablekuma And Akwatia, What Next?

As the nation braces for the upcoming Akwatia by-election occasioned by the mysterious death of its Member of Parliament, political conversations have become dominated by a single question: “What if the NDC wins enough seats to gain a two-thirds majority in Parliament?”

Whispers and rumours abound that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) might use such dominance to amend the Constitution to extend former President John Mahama’s term of office. But beyond these rumours, we must ask: What does a two-thirds majority truly mean under Ghana’s 1992 Constitution? And what lessons from our own history, and that of other nations should guide us now?

The Power and Limits of a Two-Thirds Majority

According to Dr. Raymond Atuguba, a renowned constitutional law scholar, “A two-thirds majority in Parliament is not a blank cheque. It is a constitutional instrument reserved for matters of exceptional national importance --- never for partisan expediency.”

Indeed, under the 1992 Constitution, such a majority is required to:

• Amend entrenched provisions --- but only after a national referendum where at least 40% of registered voters participate and 75% of those voters approve;
• Remove high office holders through impeachment;
• Approve emergency measures and special national decisions.

Article 66, which sets the presidential two-term limit, is an entrenched clause. Even if the NDC, or any party secures a two-thirds majority, Parliament alone cannot change it without the direct consent of the Ghanaian people through a referendum. As Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, Executive Director of CDD-Ghana, has often emphasized: “Constitutionalism ultimately belongs to the people, not to Parliament.”

Lessons from Our Past
Ghana’s own democratic history offers powerful reminders. After the 1992 election, the NPP boycotted the first Parliament, giving the NDC a near-absolute parliamentary dominance between 1993 and 1997. Yet, despite its numerical advantage, the NDC did not exploit its position to abolish term limits or alter the democratic system fundamentally.

As Professor Gyampo of the University of Ghana’s Political Science Department notes, “It was an important moment of restraint, which protected our young democracy and showed that legitimacy comes not from numbers alone, but from respect for democratic norms.”

Outside Ghana, History is Replete with Warnings

• In Venezuela, Hugo Chávez used parliamentary dominance to rewrite the Constitution, remove term limits, and concentrate power, steps that paved the way for democratic backsliding and economic collapse; and,
• In Zambia, President Frederick Chiluba’s failed attempt to change term limits through parliamentary manipulation sparked national protest and nearly destabilized the country in the early 2000s.

These cases show that overwhelming parliamentary power, when used to bend the rules, often sets nations on the path to division and decline.

Akwatia By-Election
The upcoming Akwatia by-election should be seen not just as a race for one seat, but as a test of our democratic maturity. Ghana cannot afford a repeat of the shameful events witnessed during the Ablekuma re-run, where thugs disrupted voting, journalists were brutalized, and police officers looked on helplessly. Elections should never be a “do-or-die” affair, neither for the NDC, NPP, nor any other party.

As Dr. Kojo Asante of CDD-Ghana warns, “When elections become a contest of force rather than ideas, democracy itself is the loser.”

The Path of Wisdom
Even if the NDC gains a large majority, the real measure of statesmanship lies not in what it can do, but in what it chooses not to do. John Mahama himself, if given another chance to lead, would be better served by an active, vigilant opposition that helps correct mistakes and improve governance.

As history shows, when Parliament becomes a mere echo chamber for the ruling party, the result is complacency, abuse, and decline. A vibrant opposition, far from being an obstacle, is the engine of accountability, creativity, and better policies. The tragic vacancy at Akwatia must remind us all that while political power is transient, the consequences of how we wield it can shape Ghana for generations to come.

Let us reject violence, resist short-term temptations, and reaffirm our shared commitment to democracy, built, not on numbers alone, but on principles that respect the will of the people.

FUSEINI ABDULAI BRAIMAH
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