Prof Prempeh reacts to Mahama’s endorsement of Bagbin as Speaker
Prof. H. Kwasi Prempeh, Executive Director of the Centre for Democratic Development-Ghana (CDD-Ghana), has shared his perspective on President-elect John Dramani Mahama’s endorsement of Alban Bagbin for the Speaker of Parliament in the 9th Parliament.
In a Facebook post, Prof. Prempeh stated that it was normal for a president to publicly back a Speaker nominee, as the role required close collaboration for effective governance.
“It is to be expected that the President, as head of government, would have a strong interest in and influence over the choice of Speaker, as the occupant of the Speaker’s chair must work closely with the President and his ministers to ensure the smooth running of government,” Prof. Prempeh noted.
He emphasised that in a situation where the president’s party holds a majority in Parliament, the president’s preference should carry significant weight.
“Therefore, there is nothing wrong with the President publicly expressing and indicating his preference for Speaker and urging or admonishing MPs,” he added.
Caution Against Excessive Presidential Influence
While endorsing the president’s right to influence the Speaker’s nomination, Prof. Prempeh expressed concern over the growing trend of an “imperial presidency” in Ghana.
He warned against the perception that the Speaker is merely a nominee of the president, which could undermine the independence of Parliament.
In his view, a better approach would have been for the president to frame the statement as a collective decision by the party’s MPs-elect, which he could then endorse.
He suggested: “The Members of Parliament-elect of the National Democratic Congress, [having consulted with the National Executive of the Party], have agreed collectively to support the nomination and re-election of the Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Speaker of the 8th Parliament, as Speaker of the 9th Parliament. The President can then freely announce his endorsement of this choice.”
Congratulating Bagbin
Despite his critique of the process, Prof. Prempeh congratulated Alban Bagbin on receiving the NDC’s support for re-election as Speaker.
“Having said that, I congratulate the Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin, Speaker of the 8th Parliament, on securing the support of the Majority party in the incoming Parliament for re-election as Speaker of the 9th Parliament of the Republic of Ghana,” he concluded.
In response, Mr Bagbin expressed gratitude to President-elect Mahama and the NDC leadership, vowing to serve faithfully and meet the expectations of the party and the country.