Minority Calls for Resignation of Majority Leader, Chief Whip over OSP Repeal Bill

The Minority in Parliament has called for the immediate resignation of the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga (MP for Bawku Central), and the Majority Chief Whip, Rockson Nelson Este Kwami Deafeamekpor (MP for South Dayi), following their sponsorship of a bill seeking to abolish the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), a move later publicly repudiated by President John Dramani Mahama.

In a strongly worded statement, the Minority described the actions of the two parliamentary leaders as a “fundamental breach of trust” and evidence of “unfitness for office,” arguing that their conduct directly contradicted the President’s stated policy on strengthening anti-corruption institutions.

Background to the Controversy

On 8 December 2025, the Majority Leader and Majority Chief Whip sponsored the Office of the Special Prosecutor (Repeal) Bill, 2025, which sought to repeal Act 959 and transfer all functions of the OSP to the Office of the Attorney-General.

However, just two days later, President Mahama publicly described the OSP as “a vital cog in the fight against corruption,” urging the Office to intensify efforts to build public confidence and confront corruption head-on. On 11 December 2025, the Presidency announced that the President had directed that the bill be withdrawn, a development the Minority says amounted to a public repudiation of the parliamentary leadership.

Allegations of Coordinated Retaliation

The Minority expressed alarm at what it described as the “suspicious timing” of the repeal bill, linking it to the OSP’s recent arrest of Martin Kpebu, a known critic of the Office and an individual widely regarded as aligned with the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).

According to the Minority, the controversy was further deepened by a Facebook post by Deputy Attorney-General, Justice Sai, announcing that a Supreme Court action had been filed challenging the constitutionality of Act 959. The suit, filed by a private citizen, seeks to strike down provisions granting the OSP autonomous prosecutorial authority.

The Minority questioned whether the arrest, the repeal bill, and the constitutional challenge were coincidental or part of what it described as a “coordinated, multi-pronged assault” on an independent anti-corruption institution.

Comparison with NPP’s Record

The Minority, made up of members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), contrasted the development with its own record in government, noting that the OSP was established under an NPP administration and that several party members were arrested during that period.

“Despite the political discomfort those actions caused, the NPP never attempted to abolish the OSP,” the statement said, adding that institutional independence was respected even when it proved politically costly.

Loss of Confidence and Call for Resignation

The Minority argued that as the President’s principal parliamentary representatives, the Majority Leader and Chief Whip were expected to align legislative action with government policy. Their attempt to dismantle an institution the President was simultaneously defending, the statement said, amounted to either “spectacular incompetence or deliberate insubordination.”

The Minority further contended that the President’s directive to withdraw the bill confirmed that the initiative was unauthorised and ill-conceived.

Alleged Damage to Ghana’s Democratic Image

According to the Minority, the episode has had far-reaching consequences, including:

• Undermining Ghana’s anti-corruption credibility internationally;
• Weakening prosecutorial independence by setting a dangerous precedent;
• Exposing inconsistencies between executive policy and parliamentary leadership;
• Damaging Ghana’s democratic reputation; and
• Raising concerns about the rule of law and the protection of independent institutions.

“Resignation Is Imperative”

The Minority concluded that Hon. Ayariga and Hon. Deafeamekpor could no longer effectively lead government business in Parliament, insisting that their resignation was necessary to restore confidence, protect institutional independence, and realign parliamentary leadership with presidential policy.

“Resignation is not optional; it is imperative,” the statement said.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Majority Leader nor the Majority Chief Whip had publicly responded to the Minority’s call for their resignation.