The opposition National Democratic Congress has settled on outgoing Nadowli Kaleo MP, Alban Bagbin as its Speaker of the eighth Parliament.
This comes barely 24 hours after the governing NPP also maintained the current Speaker Aaron Mike Ocquaye for the top job.
The NDC after a crunch meeting also maintained Tamale South MP, Haruna Iddrisu as Minority Leader and Asawase MP Muntaka Mubarak as Chief Whip.
According to a JoyNews report, the opposition party will be presenting Mr Alban Bagbin for voting as they maintain they have the numbers needed to take up the Speaker position in Parliament.
The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu has stated that the NDC might lose the Second Deputy Speaker position if they fail to cooperate with them.
In his view, the NPP has the numbers to unanimously vote and occupy the Speaker and first Deputy Speaker slots, leaving the NDC with the second Deputy Speaker position.
He also stressed that should the NDC put up a challenge, the only independent candidate of the next Parliament who has chosen to sit with the NPP will be nominated.
With both parties at par in terms of representatives in Parliament, this posture in putting Alban Bagbin forward as Speaker is considered by some as the NDC calling the NPP’s bluff.
Currently, both parties have the 137 seats each in Parliament, with an Independent Candidate who has chosen to sit on the side of the NPP.
The NDC, who have taken to referring themselves as the Majority side in Parliament believes that the NPP does not have absolute power in the House and as such will fight for their due.
Source: Daily Mail GH with files from Myjoyonline.com
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