(Confirmed) Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin elected as the Speaker of the 8th Parliament.

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The former Member of Parliament for Nadowli Kaleo and a member of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin has been elected as the Speaker of the 8th Parliament. 

Mr. Bagbin, who was the Second Deputy Speaker in the previous Parliament won the elections against his only contender, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye.

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) proposed Alban Bagbin as their choice candidate for the Speaker of Parliament while the New Patriotic Party (NPP) proposed Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye who served as Speaker for the 7th Parliament; 2017 to 2021.

The election of Bagbin was not without controversy as several alien incidents characterized the night including the invasion of military personnel into the parliamentary chamber.

Earlier, the NDC Members of Parliament, clad in white, moved to sit on the right side of the Speaker to indicate they were in the majority which sparked serious controversy.

Later the issue of allowing the MP-elect for Assin North, Richard Quayson to vote in the election came up strongly as the Clerk who superintended over the voting process indicated that he would not allow him to cast his ballot because a court injunction had been granted to bar him from holding himself out as the MP.

That issue was resolved and the NDC MP allowed to vote subsequently.

During counting of the ballots, the Member of Parliament for Tema West and former Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry ran to the table and snatched the uncounted ballots of Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye and attempted to bolt with it.

The Chief Whip on the NDC side and MP for Asawase, Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak immediately went after him and secured the ballots.