Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin has recounted the circumstances leading to his chaotic but famous election in 2021. According to the former Nadowli-Kaelo lawmaker, he visited the then speaker to say goodbye as he was retiring as the country’s longest serving member of parliament. Prof. Oquaye who was also ending his term as speaker the following day gifted Bagbin GhC200,000.00 after the visit.
“On the 4th of January, 2021 I went to visit him in his office as speaker of the 7th parliament of the 4th republic and bid him farewell. He thanked me so much and gave me GhC200,000.00 and wished me the best of my stay after parliament. At that time, I didn’t know that General Mosquito, (NDC Chairman) who is here and others had conspired to get me to contest him.”
“The next day which was January 5th 2021, I was called and summoned and I said Ei!, I have gone to bid him goodbye oo and he gave me GhC200,000.00. How am I going to contest him again? The rest is history” He told a cheering gathering which had in attendance Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye, Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie among other dignitaries.
Alban Bagbin made history as the first speaker to be elected from an opposition party after defeating Prof. Oquaye who had been renominated by the Nana Addo administration to serve as speaker for a second term.
The fierce process saw former Tema West MP Carlos Ahenkorah bolt with ballot papers, ingesting some in the process.
The famous chase mounted by Asawase MP and now minister for Interior Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak and subsequent slap which landed directly on the back of Mr. Ahenkorah is also fresh on the minds of Ghanaians.
Alban Bagbin would subsequently be renominated by the John Mahama administration to serve as speaker again in the 9th parliament in 2025.
