I am Not Speaker For NDC, Bagbin Dumps Main Opposition Party

Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has responded fired back at the National Democratic Congress (NDC) saying he is not a Speaker for the party when the party complained about its poor showing in the legislative chamber.

Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communications Officer the NDC party where Hon. Bagbin hails from, had called the Speaker out for not protecting the interest of the main opposition party in the Chamber.

However, the Speaker has said Mr. Gyamfi’s expectation of party advantage from him in Parliament is misplaced. This was in response to Mr. Gyamfi’s vent on social media that the Speaker and the entire Minority in Parliament had failed the party base by allowing Ministerial nominees that President Akufo-Addo had made available to Parliament for vetting, 

“Recently in the media, on social media, in particular, you have heard the blistering attack on me when I did not play any role apart from presiding (in Parliament). Because I say I belong or came from a party, does he [Sammy Gyamfi] think I’m at the beck and call of the party?” Bagbin told Class FM.

“Now, I don’t belong to any party. I’m the Speaker of Ghana. I’m not a Speaker of NPP. I’m not a Speaker of NDC. I’m the Speaker of Ghana. And I must hold the balance. So, decision-taking; no. My duty is to ensure that there’s an even playing field and the decision is taken and I announce it. That is all. And, so, if you sit down and look at me and think that maybe you were my girlfriend before [and, therefore] I should give you an advantage over another who I’ve never met, please, then don’t come to me; you won’t get it…,” Bagbin said.

Following the approval of Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Fisheries Minister-designate, Hawa Koomson and Agric Minister, Dr. Afriyie Akoto, the NDC party base became angry.

This was because those Ministers had been rejected by the party’s MPs on the Appointments Committee and party members were looking forward to having their MPs deliver the coup de grace at plenary voting.

However, when it was voting time, many of the NDC MPs were absent, making for the NPP MPs to use their numbers to approve their colleagues.

The NDC MPs have since, conveniently, blamed COVID-19 for their absence at a time when the party needed them the most.

Mr. Sammy Gyamfi who speaks for the party then responded by calling the Minority, together with Bagbin, whom the party fought hard to get elected as Speaker, as traitors.

“Some have sold their conscience but ours is intact. And we can work together to rebuild the party from the ashes of 3 March 2021, which I call ‘Black Wednesday’ – our day of self-inflicted shame,” said on Facebook account.

“This is the time for us to insist on the right changes in the leadership of the NDC group in Parliament or forget about them completely. The current leadership have lost their moral authority to lead and are not fit to sit on the front bench of the NDC side of the House.”

The post rattled the Minority in Parliament with the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrissu releasing a statement of condolence. MP for Sagnarigu, Alhaji ABA Fuseini had even sworn on live television that he never took any bribe from the NPP to pass their Ministers as it was popularly thought.