Members of the opposition National Democratic Congress have walked out of Parliament, Thursday, ahead of the president’s delivery of the State of the Nations address.

In black, chanting portions of the National Anthem, “and help us to resist oppressors rule” the MPs one after the other filed out of Parliament, just before the president Nana Akufo-Addo would mount the platform for his presentation.

The NDC had threatened to boycott the president’s state of the nation if the five percent of the District Assemblies Common Fund is not paid.

On Thursday, they carried out the threat with pomp and without regret.

On their way out they sang while still showing placards some of which accused the president and the government of supporting the Electoral Commission’s plans to compile a new register.

“Why the rush for a new register, Nana Addo,” some of the placards read.

On their way out, the Majority members of the house shouted away clapping their hands and gesturing as well.

The drama in the house left some diplomatic corps stunned whilst others filmed the entire drama on their phones.

After their departure, some members of the Majority side decided to move into the vacant Minority seats to prevent the chamber from being lopsided.

This is not the first time a section of MPs had walked out of Parliament. In 2013, Members of the NPP Minority walked out of Parliament, ahead of the State of the Nation address by then President Mahama.

The NPP had at the time, challenged Mahama’s 2012 election victory in court. They argued, taking part in the State of the Nation address to be delivered by the same president whose legitimacy they were challenging was erroneous.

Under the erstwhile President Kufuor, the then Minority NDC also walked out of the house.

However, the decision by the NDC Members of Parliament has been greeted with mixed feelings.

Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah tweeted “we are setting very bad precedents in our democracy that have the ability to undermine the pillars of our governance. We need to be very careful not to destroy the things that uphold the state.”

Others have also defended the decision by the minority side.

The President later on presented the address to Parliament.