Businessman petitions High Court to uphold Bagbin’s declaration of vacant seats

Benjamin Yemoh Tetteh, a Ghanaian businessman, has filed a lawsuit at the High Court, urging judicial endorsement of Speaker Alban Bagbin’s declaration that four parliamentary seats are vacant.

Tetteh's case emphasizes that Bagbin's action aligns with the constitution, arguing the MPs forfeited their seats upon filing nominations to run as independent candidates, breaching the terms of their original election.


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Tetteh’s lawsuit, filed on October 25, requests a court order to bar these MPs from entering Parliament or performing any parliamentary duties until the legal case is resolved. He contends that this step is essential to uphold the integrity of parliamentary procedures and ensure strict compliance with electoral laws.

This court case follows a recent Supreme Court intervention on October 18, when Speaker Bagbin’s decision to declare the seats vacant was temporarily stayed. The Court instructed Parliament to continue recognizing the four MPs, allowing them to represent their constituencies fully and execute their duties pending a final decision.

The Supreme Court’s stay was prompted by an ex parte application from NPP MPs seeking relief for their colleagues, with one of the affected MPs from the NDC. The five-member Supreme Court panel, led by Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo, ruled in favor of maintaining the MPs' roles until a conclusive judgment is issued.