ACCRA – Ghana’s Supreme Court on Tuesday restored the ruling party’s majority in parliament ahead of the December 7 elections, ruling that the Speaker of the House of Representatives’ declaration of four vacant seats was unconstitutional.

Last month, two lawmakers from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and one from the largest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), announced they would run as independent candidates in the elections, while one independent candidate joined the NPP. .

Parliament Speaker Alban Bagbin declared their seats vacant, arguing that the constitution does not allow MPs to defect. Parliament was adjourned indefinitely following the declaration.

Bagbin’s decision shifted the parliamentary majority to the NDC, giving it one more seat than outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo’s NPP’s 135.

The Supreme Court ruling restores the ruling NPP’s slim majority of 138 seats, including one independent that leans towards the NPP, compared to 137 for the opposition NDC.

Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo announced the court’s 5-2 majority decision in a televised ruling, adding that she would present reasons for her decision later.

Ghana’s presidential and parliamentary elections will be held simultaneously on December 7. These will be the ninth consecutive general elections since the country’s return to multi-party democracy in 1992.

Ghana has held peaceful, free and fair elections for almost two decades, but allegations of voter registration irregularities this year have raised concerns about a possible backsliding of democracy.

In September, the NDC held Nationwide protests demanding audit of voter rollsclaiming to have detected thousands of unauthorized transfers and deletions of voter names.

President Akufo-Addo is leaving office this year after his second and final four-year term. Former President John Dramani Mahama of the NDC, who lost in the 2016 and 2020 elections, will face Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia of the NPP in this year’s elections.

Last month, tensions surrounding the election led the US State Department to issue a warning that it restrict US visas for people who undermine Ghana’s democracy before the vote.