Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin, has declared that Matthew Nyindam remains eligible to fully participate in parliamentary proceedings despite a recent High Court order for a rerun of the Kpandai Parliamentary election.
The ruling was delivered in Parliament on Thursday, November 27, 2025, following objections raised by the Majority side a day earlier. The Majority argued that Nyindam should not take part in debates after the Tamale High Court, on Monday, November 24, 2025, ordered a rerun of the Kpandai contest.
However, Speaker Bagbin dismissed these objections, stating that it is “premature” to bar Nyindam from the House. He clarified that the law grants a seven-day mandatory stay of execution after a High Court judgment, during which the affected party may file an appeal.
Seven-Day Stay of Execution Protects Nyindam’s Status
The Speaker emphasized that the High Court ruling is not declaratory but an executive order, which automatically attracts a seven-day stay under the Court of Appeal Rules, 1997 (C.I. 197) as amended by the Court of Appeal Rules, 2020 (C.I. 192).
Bagbin referenced the Supreme Court decision in Mensah vs. Ghana Commercial Bank (2025–2026), which held that any execution of a High Court judgment within this seven-day window is “premature and void.”
For this reason, he ruled that Nyindam maintains full rights and privileges as MP until the stay lapses on December 1, 2025.
“It is too premature to say that the Honourable Matthew Nyindam is disqualified from entering and participating in the proceedings of the House,” Bagbin stated. “The Honourable Member is right to have been in the House yesterday and to have participated in the proceedings.”
Possibility of Further Suspension
The Speaker further explained that should Nyindam proceed to file an appeal, such as under Rule 27(1) of C.I. 19, it could trigger a further suspension of the High Court’s decision until the appellate court determines the matter.
He concluded by stressing that, during the current statutory period, the High Court ruling cannot be used as grounds for the Speaker to direct the Clerk to notify the Electoral Commission of a vacancy in Parliament.
This ruling effectively shields Nyindam from immediate removal and preserves his parliamentary rights pending the exhaustion of legal processes.
