I Spent More Than 2 weeks Convincing MPs To Vote for Bagbin – Muntaka Mubarak

The Asawase MP, Muntaka Mubarak says he spent about two weeks convincing National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs to vote for Alban Bagbin as the Speaker of Parliament.

According to him, although the former Nadowli Kaleo MP was from their side, there was no guarantee that all members of the party would be happy with his nomination.

He told Joy News that he spoke to the MPs individually for two weeks convincing them on why the House must have a Speaker from another party and not from the government side.

“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.”

The two major parties clashed in parliament last Thursday at the inauguration of the 8th Parliament.

The stalemate prompted military and police intervention in the Chamber of Parliament.

The legislators were voting to choose the next Speaker of Parliament but there was chaos after the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmakers defied the secret voting rule.

The ensuing clash lasted several hours until the army and the police moved in to restore order in the House.

After calm was restored, an opposition MP and a veteran politician Alban Bagbin was elected Speaker.

The veteran MP polled 138 votes against the immediate past Speaker Aaron Mike Ocquaye’s 136 with one MP failing to vote.

Even then, the Tema West MP Carlos Ahenkorah tried to mar the election after he snatched ballot papers and bolted with it.

Mr Bagbin makes history for being the first Speaker who is not selected by the governing party.

But it was not an easy road as the NDC Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak said it put his position to test to get members from his side to make the dream a reality.

“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 said.

Source: myjoyonline,com