Parliament unlikely to declare Asante Akyem North seat vacant, says majority leader

Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has indicated that Parliament is unlikely to declare the seat of the Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, Kwame Ohene Frimpong, vacant, despite his prolonged absence from the House following his arrest in the Netherlands.

Mr Frimpong was arrested at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam on May 8, 2026, over allegations of money laundering and romance scam-related offences. He has been absent from parliamentary proceedings since his detention, sparking debate over whether Article 97(1)(c) of the 1992 Constitution—which provides for the vacation of an MP’s seat after 15 consecutive sittings without the Speaker’s permission—should be invoked in his case.

Speaking on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News on Wednesday, July 15, Mr Ayariga argued that parliamentary practice has consistently taken into account the circumstances surrounding a legislator’s absence before applying the constitutional provision. According to him, where an MP is unable to attend sittings due to circumstances beyond their control—particularly when they are under arrest or facing prosecution—Parliament has traditionally allowed the judicial process to take its course before considering any action.

“The practice of the House has always been that if a person is absent due to circumstances beyond the control of that person, we wait. Such as, the person is arrested and incarcerated and being prosecuted,” he said.

The Majority Leader emphasised that an MP who is detained against their will cannot be treated the same as one who deliberately absents themselves from parliamentary business. “The person is absent because he has been apprehended elsewhere and is being detained against his will and even if he wanted to come to Parliament, he would not be able to come,” he explained.

Mr Ayariga also cautioned against interpreting the constitutional provision solely on the basis of the number of sittings missed, warning that such an approach could set a dangerous precedent. He contended that declaring a seat vacant simply because an MP had been detained could be exploited through politically motivated or unfounded arrests.

“If we allowed that precedent, what will happen is that an MP is arrested on the basis of trumped-up charges and then after 15 days, I will say his seat is vacant,” he stated.

Mr Frimpong, popularly known as OK Frimpong, won the Asante Akyem North parliamentary seat in the 2024 general election as an independent candidate before later aligning himself with the Majority Caucus in Parliament. His arrest and continued detention have raised questions about the future of his parliamentary career, but the Majority Leader’s comments suggest Parliament is prepared to await the outcome of legal proceedings before taking any action regarding his seat.