Accounting Professor and private legal practitioner, Prof. Kwaku Asare, popularly known as Kwaku Azar, has described the eight parliament as one that was born out of intrigue and nurtured in chaos.
In an opinion piece, the lawyer stated the right Parliament, which would be officially dissolved today, Monday, January 6, 2025, was full of controversies.
He cited several incidents that characterised the eight patients, including the changes in the leadership from the minority and majority caucuses.
Prof. Azar also mentioned the call by some Majority NPP MPs for the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta as finance minister due to perceived incompetence.
He also cited the impasse between the Speaker and the Supreme Court regarding the declaration of some four seats vacant.
“For the first time in Umuofia’s history, over half the ruling party’s MPs demanded the removal of the Finance Minister, citing incompetence. The President, unimpressed and unbothered, retained the minister, who, conveniently, was his family member. Blood, as they say, is thicker than water, even when the nation’s finances are at stake.”
The application of the Ocquaye-Fomena doctrine, which had the Chief Justice screaming “constitutional crisis (what’s going on?), marked the unofficial end of the 8th Parliament—except, of course, for their last-minute reconvening to determine emoluments and ex-gratia. In a rare show of unity, the MPs closed their doors to the public and ensured their golden parachutes were intact.”
Read his full opinion piece below
The 8th Parliament of Umuofia was born of intrigue, nurtured in chaos, and matured into a spectacle that no playwright could have scripted better.
From its first breath, it bore the mark of controversy—a cardinal sin, as it excluded some Umuofians due to the Electoral Commission’s questionable directive.
This sin set the tone for a parliament destined for drama, dysfunction, and the occasional dash of absurdity.
A Parliament Divided
The numbers said it all: 137-137-1. A perfect split, with one independent MP holding the scales of power. This lone wolf, having been expelled by his party and shunned by the President, was now the most coveted man in Umuofia.
The irony of his political resurrection was crowned by his appointment as Deputy Speaker, courtesy of the same party that once discarded him. The voters, it seemed, had the last laugh, proving once again that politics is full of second chances, especially if the numbers demand it.
Speaker Wars: Midnight Ballots and Flying MPs
The election of the Speaker was the stuff of legends. The NPP returned a Speaker so unpopular he once declared a clear “No” vote as “Yes” to push through the contentious GLC legal education instrument.
Meanwhile, the NDC, sensing vulnerability, nominated the veteran legislator, Bagbin, with precision timing.
Then came the drama: As votes were being counted, the Honorable MP from Tema decided to seize some ballots and make a break for it. Sprinting through the hallowed halls, he was chased down with Olympic-level determination by an NDC MP, who tackled him before any ballots were harmed.
Amidst the chaos, soldiers—yes, soldiers—stormed the chamber, defiling the sanctity of Umuofia’s democracy. To this day, no one knows who gave that order.
When the dust settled and the ballots were finally counted, the NDC emerged victorious. Bagbin was elected Speaker, marking a humiliating loss for the ruling party despite their numerical “advantage.”
A Parliament of Contradictions
The 8th Parliament thrived on irony. The NPP, which once wrote to the Speaker to expel the Fomena MP-turned-independent, now found itself fighting to protect its own MPs from similar rulings under the same “Ocquaye-Fomena Doctrine.”
The inconsistency disgusted many Umuofians, who asked pointedly, “What do you really stand for?”
Then came the Supreme Court sideshow. Assin North’s MP was injuncted from performing his functions for 15 months and ultimately dismissed from Parliament, leading to a by-election that returned him with an even larger margin than before.
Yet, the same court had previously declared that MPs must not be barred from performing their duties even when presiding over parliamentary proceedings —a ruling that left Umuofians laughing in disbelief.
The E-Levy and Mystery Flights
The infamous E-Levy vote was a circus all its own. Whispers of a long-absent MP being flown in on a chartered flight to cast her vote gripped the rumor mill. Was it her? Was it an imposter? The hall buzzed with speculation, but one thing was clear: the E-Levy was passed, and Umuofians were left to foot the bill.
Leadership Coups and Judicial Defiance
Parliamentary leadership wasn’t spared the drama. In a surprise announcement, the NDC swapped its stalwarts Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka Mubarak for the Forson-Agbodza team. The NPP, not to be outdone, replaced its veteran leader Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu with Afenyo-Markin, signaling the end of an era.
Meanwhile, two Supreme Court nominees, approved at the committee level, never made it to the floor for a vote. It was a rare victory for the minority and a defeat for the President, whose judicial nominees had otherwise breezed through without much scrutiny.
A Finance Minister and Family Ties
For the first time in Umuofia’s history, over half the ruling party’s MPs demanded the removal of the Finance Minister, citing incompetence. The President, unimpressed and unbothered, retained the minister, who, conveniently, was his family member. Blood, as they say, is thicker than water, even when the nation’s finances are at stake.
The Final Curtain
The application of the Ocquaye-Fomena doctrine, which had the Chief Justice screaming “constitutional crisis (what’s going on?), marked the unofficial end of the 8th Parliament—except, of course, for their last-minute reconvening to determine emoluments and ex-gratia. In a rare show of unity, the MPs closed their doors to the public and ensured their golden parachutes were intact.
This morning, the 8th Parliament is no more. Umuofians are left with memories of midnight ballot sprints, judicial ironies, and a parliament that delivered drama, if not results. As the curtain falls, one can only hope the 9th Parliament will usher in less intrigue and more integrity—or at least a better scriptwriter for the next saga.
It’s finished.
Da Yie!
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
