Accra: The New Patriotic Party Minority Caucus in Parliament on Thursday staged a walkout from Parliament over electoral violence, citing the Ablekuma North election re-run as a case in point. In view of that, Mr Frank Annor-Dompreh, the Minority Chief Whip, said the Minority would not be part of the Mid-Year Budget Review.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Annor Dompreh in his remarks to the Speaker, expressed his concerns, stating, "I say this with a lot of pain. As you all do know, our Republican Constitution is most sustained in the Fourth Republic in our body politics. Increasingly, electoral violence is rearing its ugly head in our fledgling democracy." He highlighted the violence that erupted at some polling stations in the Ablekuma North election re-run in 19 polling stations on Friday, July 11, 2025, describing the skirmishes as 'revealing'.
Following these remarks, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin intervened and empathized with the Minority's concerns, emphasizing that the issue of electoral violence should not be overlooked. He noted the necessity for a comprehensive debate on the matter in the House. Despite the Speaker's appeal to the Minority side to spare the House a long speech on electoral violence, members of the Minority Caucus staged a walkout with various inscriptions on placards.
Members of the Caucus were predominantly dressed in black attire, symbolizing a state of mourning or sadness. The Ghana News Agency gathered that the Minority Caucus had presented petitions to the Presidency, the Diplomatic Corps, the Catholic Bishops Conference, and other key institutions in the country concerning the escalating electoral violence and the illegal mining issue, known as galamsey.
