'President, Veep, Speaker all gone; who was in charge?' - Minority declares constitutional crisis

The Minority in Parliament claims Ghana had no President, Vice President, or Speaker on May 12, 2025. They say no one was sworn in to act during this time.

They describe this situation as a constitutional crisis.

In a statement signed by Legal Counsel John Darko, the Minority accused the Akufo-Addo administration of violating Article 60 of the 1992 Constitution. They stated, “This represents a clear and egregious violation.”

The Constitution states that if both the President and Vice President are out of the country, the Speaker must be sworn in to act as President.

The Minority referenced a Supreme Court ruling in Asare v. Attorney General. This ruling confirmed that Ghana must always have a constitutionally mandated leader.

However, the Speaker was not sworn in. The Speaker left Ghana on May 8. The Vice President had traveled earlier for medical care. The President also left without ensuring power was handed over.

“It is public record that the Speaker had departed,” they said. “The President knew about this and still left Ghana.”

The Minority believes this was intentional and not an oversight. They stated, “Their conduct is not only unconstitutional; it is deliberate and calculated.”

They accused the administration of treating the Constitution as an inconvenience.

“They believe they have succeeded in weakening the Judiciary,” they added. Their attacks on the Chief Justice threaten judicial independence and rule of law.

The caucus called the President’s actions a “willful and wanton disregard” for legal norms. They described it as a clear example of habitual constitutional violations by this administration.

To emphasize their point, they quoted former U.S. President Barack Obama: “Our Constitution is a remarkable gift... It has no power on its own.”

They believe this message is especially relevant now.

“Those entrusted with safeguarding our Constitution have failed,” they said. “Ghana remains a fragile democracy.”

They vowed to take action against these violations.

“As vigilant custodians of the Constitution, we will expose and resist such actions,” they declared.

“We will hold the President and his Vice accountable to their oath.” If necessary, they will invoke relevant laws.

According to the Minority, leaving Ghana without leadership poses more than just legal issues; it threatens national stability.