Alban Bagbin elected as the speaker of parliament of the 8th Parliament of the Fourth Republic after contesting against the former Speaker, Prof Aaron Mike Oquaye.
Having been one of the longest Parliamentarian, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) member and Former MP for Nadowli Kaleo won by 138 votes against the former speaker who got 136 votes.
The nine hours chaotic and dramatic event coupled with NDC MPs forcefully taken over the majority side of parliament, debates over the Assin North MP-elect’s eligibility, Ursula Owusu falling as a seat under her was dragged and the snatching of the ballot box by the Tema West MP-elect, Carlos Ahenkorah eventually led to Bagbin’s victory.
The voting process lasted for about four hours and eventually sworn in by the Chief Justice, Kwesi Anin-Yeboah.
Bagbin becomes the first in history to become a speaker of parliament not selected by the governing party.
Bagbin was an MP since 1992 and also the Second Deputy Speaker of the 7th Parliament, the Majority Leader of Parliament in Mahama administration, a former Health Minister and Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing in the Mills administration in 2008 described as many as a man worthy of the job.
President Akufo-Addo has congratulated him in a Facebook post on Thursday, January 7, 2021, “I must, at the outset, express my warm congratulations to my good friend and colleague of many years in this House, the Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, on his assumption of office as the Speaker of the Eighth Parliament of the 4th Republic. Nearly three decades of devoted service to Parliament by you has culminated in this moment, which has seen your elevation to the third great office of the state of our nation,” he wrote.
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Renate is a lawyer, publicist, and writer. She believes that education and information is the key to developing and shaping Africa. In her free time, she paints beautiful art pieces on canvas. Renate believes that life is a perception, and you live it the way you perceive it.
