Majority caucus accuses Bagbin of partiality
Parliament adjourns “sine die”
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has refuted claims by the majority side that he is advancing the course of the opposition National Democratic Congress in parliament.
Majority Leader and MP for Suame, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, post the violence on the floor of Parliament on Monday, December 20, 2021, accused the Speaker of a grand plot to frustrate government business in the House – this he attributes to Bagbin’s absence on the night to preside over parliamentary sitting.
MP for the Adansi-Asokwa Constituency, Kobina Tahir Hammond, has also accused the Speaker of unfairness due to his allegiance to the NDC.
“You see, let’s again be realistic. Alban Bagbin was always NDC. I don’t think he was ever going to change to be NPP. It’s not possible. And on the leopard and skin, and those things you know how it is. So Alban Bagbin was always NDC, he was running for their presidency. And we didn’t vote for him. We NPP didn’t vote for him. Except of course whatever happened, he won it."
"So the whole caucus of NDC, they voted for him. His spirit, his blood, his everything, he’s still NDC. There’s no doubt about that. You can’t blame him. Let’s be realistic politically. He’s sitting there and having been elected as a Speaker, he’s supposed to be neutral but is it possible? That’s the difficulty he has”, he told JoyNews’ parliamentary correspondent, Kwesi Parker Wilson.
But speaking at a forum to address former Members of Parliament (MPs) on Thursday, December 23, 2021, Alban Bagbin intimated that the outcome of the 2020 general elections clearly indicated that Ghanaians wanted parliament to shed off its rubber stamp image.
He said the chaos that has characterized the 8th parliament is only an attempt to make a change.
To this end, Alban Bagbin has rubbished the majority’s accusations of partiality describing himself as an “NDC impartial speaker”.
“So these are clear indications that it’s not just Ghanaians but God wants something to happen in Ghana and He’s doing it through Ghanaians. So I became the Speaker…NDC impartial speaker. So it is not only NPP independent Member of Parliament."
"You also have NDC impartial speaker…that is what God has put in place. So the turbulence that we are experiencing now is the attempt to make a change. But is it not easy in the environment that we are in. habits die hard and some people cannot just understand. So when I heard my colleague say that I’m changing the rules….the game has changed,” he explained.
Alban Bagbin in a chaotic election for the Speakership position on January 7, 2021, beat off competition from Professor Mike Ocquaye and emerged victorious.
He is the first Speaker to emerge from an opposition party whiles the government is on the other side of the aisle.
Speaker of Parliament ,Alban Bagbin