The outgoing Member of Parliament for Suame, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has expressed concerns over President-elect John Dramani Mahama’s choice of Alban Bagbin as the Speaker for the 9th Parliament.

0

Speaking in an interview on January 5, 2025, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stated that Mahama’s instruction for the NDC caucus to keep Alban Bagbin as Speaker goes against the constitution.

1

He explained that, according to the parliamentary rules, the decision on who should lead the parliament should be made by the new Members of Parliament, not the president.

2

Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu strongly disagreed with Mahama’s move, stating, “I would disagree with it. The presidency is one arm of government and the Constitution provides that the Speaker is a person who is chosen from amongst Members of Parliament or persons who qualify to be elected as Members of Parliament by the Members of Parliament themselves.”

3

The former Majority Leader of the 8th Parliament further stated that the presidency or the executive branch of government can only express their views or opinions regarding their comfort with the candidate.

4

“If the presidency is comfortable with Bagbin, they can say ‘they are comfortable with Bagbin’,” he emphasised.

5

Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu further emphasized that the constitution gives both the Majority and Minority sides of Parliament the power to nominate and choose the Speaker.

6

7

As a result, the decision should not be left to just one group in Parliament.

8

“In the Constitution, it does not even lie with the NDC caucus alone to nominate a person as Speaker; it could as well come from the other side because Parliament is a representative body that includes both sides of the house,” he explained.

9

He continued, “The Constitution provides that the Speaker must come from amongst the Members of Parliament, and the election is at the instance of the Members of Parliament, not the party or the president.”

10

Kyei-Mensah Bonsu further advised the presidency to refrain from involving itself in legislative matters and decision-making regarding the leadership of Parliament.

11

“I would advise that the president doesn’t get himself involved in this. If he wants to talk to the members, he could do so informally, but to formally direct them to do this, to me, it is wrong,” he stated firmly.

12

Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu’s remarks follow the nomination of Alban Bagbin as Speaker for the 9th Parliament by President-elect John Dramani Mahama.

13

A statement released on January 5, 2024, confirmed that the nomination was made after discussions and an agreement between the National Executive and Parliamentary Leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

14