The only independent Member of Parliament of the 8th Parliament of the Fourth Republic was on January 7, 2021, elected the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament.
Andrew Asiamah Amoako who has stated publicly that he will be caucusing with the NPP side in Parliament was nominated by Mohammed-Muntaka Mubarak, the NDC’s Chief Whip and seconded by Alexander Afenyo Markin, the NPP’s Deputy Leader.
Speaking to Joy News in a report monitored by GhanaWeb, the Asawase MP revealed the NDC’s strategy as they went into the election of a Speaker for the 8th Parliament.
He disclosed that he used more than two weeks convincing MPs on both sides as to why Alban Bagbin should be elected Speaker of Parliament.
He explained that Bagbin will help in Parliament’s oversight responsibility on the Executive which has been enshrined in the 1992 Constitution.
Muntaka explained that after the NDC’s nominee was elected Speaker, the party decided to be magnanimous with the victory because they had indicated within their caucus that if Bagbin did not win the Speakership position, Bernard Ahiafor, Akatsi South MP and Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, Bolgatanga East MP would be proposed for the Second Deputy Speaker position.
Muntaka further indicated that after Alban Bagbin was elected Speaker of Parliament amidst the chaos that had happened earlier, the MPs came to a consensus that they did not want to spend another three hours or more on each round of voting for the first and second deputy Speakers of Parliament, since this would have further delayed the inauguration of President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr Bawumia, therefore, they agreed with the NPP side to propose the first Deputy Speaker unopposed so that they, the NDC, would likewise propose the second Deputy Speaker.
Muntaka disclosed that the NPP side insisted on proposing both nominees for the first and second deputy Speakers but the NDC referred them to the Constitutional provision that the first and second deputy speakers must not be members of the same political party. At this stage, they, the NDC, decided that it would be prudent to give that slot to the independent MP.
“We came together and had to convince our General Secretary…and agreed that we nominate the independent [MP] instead of nominating our own.
“We had to rush back and talk to Dominic Ayine and Bernard Ahiafor…they understood what [was] at stake because we needed to carry the house [along with us]…they all agreed and we gave it out,” Muntaka further revealed.