Mr. Bagbin was nominated by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and was historically elected as Speaker of the Eighth Parliament.
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I was ready to retire from politics when NDC called me for Speakership position – Bagbin
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has disclosed that he was planning on exiting politics when he was nominated for the Speakership position.
I was ready to retire from politics when NDC called me for Speakership position – Bagbin
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Speaking at a lecture held in honour of the late former President, Jerry John Rawlings, he said he was already planning on retiring from politics when the offer came.
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin
Pulse Ghana
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“I had packed bag and baggage ready to exit politics when suddenly God smiled on me,” Mr. Bagbin said, as quoted by Myjoyonline.
“I had established an Institute of Parliamentary Affairs Africa and got some of our professors to work with me. I was transiting into that to support the democracy and growth [of Africa] and He [God] used all of you [NDC] led by His Excellency John Dramani Mahama.”
Mr. Bagbin, who is a stalwart of the NDC, was elected the Speaker of the 8th Parliament on Thursday, January 7, 2021.
The former Nadowli Kaleo MP beat off competition from NPP nominee, Prof. Aaron Mike Ocquaye.
This is the first time in Ghana’s history that a candidate from the opposition party has been elected Speaker of Parliament.
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The Speaker also used the opportunity to pay tribute to the late Rawlings, insisting he was more respected in other countries than in his homeland.
He noted that Rawlings commanded respect from far and near and was endearing to even foreigners.
“Jerry [John Rawlings] was respected more outside Ghana than in Ghana,” the Speaker said, as quoted by 3news.
He further eulogised Rawlings’ role in returning Ghana to a democracy, insisting he helped build the foundations of the Fourth Republic.
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“Jerry entered at a time there was no democracy and he worked towards building what the Blue Book describes as true democracy,” he stated.
“He exited at a time democracy is in crisis and that is a title of a book that I will recommend to all of you to read ‘Democracy in crisis’. It not only in Ghana but the whole world. In fact the supposed mother of democracy is also in crisis.
“So can we say that all he did, all he stood for has come to nothing? It depends on how we gathered here carry on with the battle.”
The former President will be laid to rest at the Military Cemetery in Accra today, Wednesday, January 27, 2020.
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