Samuel Abu Jinapor expelled from Parliament for disrespecting Speaker Bagbin

Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin ordered Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Member of Parliament for Damongo, to leave the Chamber on November 3, 2026, following a confrontation over allegations involving diplomatic passports. The expulsion occurred after Jinapor refused to withdraw or reconsider claims he made regarding the alleged sale of, or payments for, diplomatic passports. The Speaker's decision to remove the MP triggered an immediate protest from the Minority caucus, who subsequently staged a walkout from the proceedings.

The conflict intensified when Jinapor ignored repeated attempts by Speaker Bagbin to guide his contributions and moderate his language. According to parliamentary observers and colleagues, the Speaker sought to have the Damongo MP retract specific assertions that were deemed unsubstantiated or outside the bounds of parliamentary decorum. Jinapor’s persistence in his claims and his refusal to adhere to the Speaker's directives were interpreted by the Chair as a direct challenge to the authority of the House.

Peter Lanchene Toobu, the MP for Wa West, defended the Speaker’s actions, accusing Jinapor of being deliberately disrespectful. Toobu argued that the Speaker had provided multiple opportunities for Jinapor to correct his course, but the Damongo MP chose to disregard that guidance in an effort to sensationalize the issue. Toobu noted that the Speaker’s role is to ensure order and that Jinapor’s conduct left the Chair with little choice but to enforce disciplinary measures to maintain the dignity of the House.

The incident has further deepened the divide between the Majority and Minority sides of the House. While the Minority caucus accused Speaker Bagbin of bias in his handling of the situation, others have pointed to the event as a necessary assertion of parliamentary rules. The row over diplomatic passports remains a contentious topic, with this latest clash highlighting the volatile political climate currently prevailing within the Ghanaian legislature.