The NDC in Parliament has proposed Alban Sumani Bagbin as the next Speaker of the House.
Speaking on Top Story on Joy FM, JoyNews’ Kwesi Parker Wilson indicated that the party will be presenting the outgoing MP for Nadawli Kaleo at midnight today for voting.
He explained that the NDC side believes they have the numbers needed to take up the Speaker position in Parliament.
This comes barely 24 hours after the NPP also submitted Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye as the Speaker of the 8th 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.
Meanwhile, the party has maintained its leadership in Parliament. MP for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu, remains the Minority leader while the MP for Asawase, Muntaka Mubarak has been retained as the Chief Whip.