The newly-elected Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has pledged to work with all sides, including those who did not vote for him.
“I humbly accept the high office of the Speaker of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana. In accepting such an honour, I want to first thank the Almighty God for His abundant grace and blessings on me and my family and I also want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for bestowing this honour and great responsibility on me. Let me not forget Ghanaians, the EC, all political parties, civil society organisations, the media and more importantly, my party, the great NDC for proposing me to be elected to be the Speaker of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana”, Mr Bagbin stated.
The seven-time MP for Nadowli Kaleo was elected as the next after a chaotic voting exercise in the chamber of parliament in the early hours of yesterday.
He was elected over the nominee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Prof Mike Aaron Oquaye, who had served as Speaker of the Seventh Parliament.
Chief Justice Anin Yeboah administered the oath of allegiance and the speaker’s oath to Mr Bagbin.
Mr Bagbin is a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and has been the MP for Nadowli Kaleo in the Upper West Region in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th parliaments of the 4th republic of Ghana.
He announced his intention to run for President in 2008 on the NDC ticket, but never stood for the primaries.
He became the Majority Leader of parliament in 2009.
Following a cabinet reshuffle in January 2010, he was appointed Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing by President John Evans Atta Mills.
He was also Majority Leader of Parliament under President John Mahama when he succeeded Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, who was appointed as the Minister of Defence.
