Former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has expressed extreme disappointment in the apparent undermining of democratic institutions in the country in the Kpandai parliamentary issue.
Despite an appeal process filed by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kpandai, Matthew Nyindam, challenging a High Court order for the 2024 Parliamentary Election to be rerun, Parliament wrote the Electoral Commission (EC) declaring the Kpandai seat vacant.
The EC subsequently announced a date for the election to be rerun.
Both Parliament and the EC have come under criticism for ignoring the appeal process, and the former Vice President has also taken a dim view of the seeming raw deal being handed to the MP, insisting it goes against democratic principles and precedent.
“To say the least, I’m very disappointed with what is going on in our country. It looks like our institutions of democracy and our tenets of democracy are being undermined,” Dr. Bawumia said in an interview.
“The issue of Kpandai with Matthew Nyindam is not a new issue in our democratic politics. We have had issues with Dan Abodakpi, issues with Gyakye Quayson in Assin. Basically you’ve had the House allow the legal processes to take place and be exhausted before state institutions are subpleaded into acting into ways that undermine democracy.”
Dr. Bawumia, who expressed surprise at the ”indecent haste” with which the MP is being denied a fair court process, slammed Parliament and called for all involved to respect the democratic institutions and tenets of the country.
“Matthew Nyindam should be given his day in court. He has filed appeal processes at the High Court. He has filed for a judicial review at the Supreme Court and none of those cases has been adjudicated, so why the rush? Why the indecent haste?
“I think that he is being railroaded, I think that this undermines our institutions of democracy and I think that we should take a halt to these processes and allow him to have his day in court as others have done in the past.
“The House has never really rushed in this way when it came to the other cases. What is the difference with the case of Matthew Nyindam?
“It should not be the case. We should uphold the tenets of democracy. Democracy is something precious that we’ve all had and we have all subscribed to.”
Dr. Bawumia further warned against using political power to “break down” the pillars of democracy, saying its consequences are severe for the country.
“When you start undermining its pillars, you break it down and the consequences for the nation are very severe. Simply because you have power, you shouldn’t feel that you can run roughshod over your opponents and the principles of democracy.”