President-elect John Dramani Mahama’s decision to publicly call on Members of Parliament-elect in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to elect Alban Bagbin as Speaker is entirely right, a former Member of Parliament for Ashaiman, Alfred Kwame Agbesi has said.
Commenting on the issue on Starr FM, the former lawmaker said it was important for the incoming president to have someone he could readily work with to deliver on his promises to the Ghanaian people.
He said although he shared sentiments that the choice should have been left to the party, the president-elect had a significant input as he remains the leader of the NDC.
“The President is NDC. That is his party. And his party assumes power. And he must lead capable hands, able lieutenants to pursue his agenda. And if he thinks that Bagbin is one who can pursue his agenda, then it is proper that he sees to it that that person is elected. To some extent, I would say that he would have left it to the party to decide.
“But if he does that, if he leaves it to the party to decide, the party may not bring somebody of his choice. And that will be dangerous for him because he has stood in elections, he has come up with a manifesto and he must pursue it and the people who must help him to pursue his manifesto, he needs to bring them on board. So if Bagbin is one of them, he’s the one who seeks to pursue the issue from parliamentary level, I think that he is right in deciding on him and asking MPs to relate to him,” he emphasized on Morning Starr.
He added that Mr. Mahama’s involvement did not infringe on the principle of parliamentary integrity, insisting that the president could not afford an uncooperative legislature.
“Does it mean to you that the president, being the head of the NDC, the party that has won power, he should sit unconcerned for the NDC, not do what the president has put forth in the manifesto for which they voted for him? If he does that and he fails, who is going to fail? Is he not the one?
So he cannot sit alone,” he underscored.
On Sunday January 5, President-elect Mahama’s office issued a statement directing members of the NDC caucus in the upcoming 9th Parliament to give
incumbent Speaker, Alban Bagbin another term in office.
If elected, he will become the first Speaker since the 1990’s to be retained in the position. Unlike four years ago, his nomination is expected to easily pass in the House.
