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I spent two and a half weeks convincing MPs to vote for Bagbin – Muntaka reveals

The MP for Asawase, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, has disclosed that he spent more than two weeks convincing his colleague legislators to vote for Alban Bagbin as Speaker of Parliament.

I spent two and a half weeks convincing MPs to vote for Bagbin – Muntaka reveals

According to him, he held talks with lawmakers from both the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Mr. Muntaka said he explained to the MPs that it was in the national interest to elect a Speaker outside the ruling government.

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“And I spent almost two and a half weeks after the election trying to reach out to as many members not only on our side but on the other side as well,” he told Joy News.

“We were trying to let them understand that this was in our national interest to get a Speaker on the other side so that we can put a check on the executive.”

Mr. Bagbin, who is a stalwart of the NDC, was historically 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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Meanwhile, the leader of the NPP in Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, has disclosed that his colleagues were not united in the vote for Speaker of Parliament.

The former Majority Leader said the opposition infiltrated their camp ahead of the crucial vote that saw Mr. Bagbin emerge victorious.

The Suame MP said prior to the election he heard rumours that some of the NPP members were planning to dissent against Professor Mike Ocquaye.

“I heard rumours that the NDC was trying to bribe some of our members to vote against Speaker Oquaye, so I quickly called those whose name was mentioned to speak with them; others too had some unresolved issues with him and had said they would not vote for him. I met all those members in the hotel and spoke at length with them to rescind their decision, but it practically fell on deaf ears,” Mr. Mensah Bonsu said.

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