I Didn’t Have Full Support Of NDC – Alban Bagbin Reveals How NPP MPs Voted For Him To Become Speaker In 2021

I Didn’t Have Full Support Of NDC – Alban Bagbin Reveals How NPP MPs Voted For Him To Become Speaker In 2021

Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has finally broken his silence on the dramatic events that led to his historic election as Speaker of Parliament in January 2021, revealing that he did not have the full support of his own party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Speaking at the IPR Ghana 2026 National PR Conference and Excellence Awards held in Koforidua on October 23, 2026, the veteran politician disclosed that many NDC Members of Parliament failed to vote for him, and he had to rely heavily on votes from members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to win the Speaker position.

According to Bagbin, the NPP MPs who were the governing party at the time and had fielded their own candidate against him, decided to vote for him because they trusted him to be balanced, impartial, and fair as Speaker of the 8th Parliament.

Bagbin: Many More NPP Members Voted For Me

Recounting the tense election that shocked the nation, Speaker Bagbin stated:

“The low numbers that I had in Parliament; I won the position as the Speaker over the party’s incumbent Speaker who contested me.

I had the details. It’s not all NDC members who voted for me. I know what I’m talking about. Many more NPP members voted for me to be speaker in 2021,” he revealed to the surprise of PR professionals gathered at the conference.

His revelation has since sparked massive debate on social media and within political circles in Ghana, as it exposes the deep cracks that existed within the NDC caucus in Parliament at the time and the level of trust he commanded across the political divide.

The Historic 2021 Speaker Election – How Bagbin Won

To understand Bagbin’s revelation, it is important to revisit what happened on January 7, 2021, during the inauguration of the 8th Parliament of Ghana’s Fourth Republic.

The NDC and NPP had an unprecedented tie in Parliament – each party had 137 seats, with one independent MP who later joined the NPP caucus. The election of Speaker was therefore going to decide which party truly controlled Parliament.

The NDC presented Alban Bagbin, a long-serving MP for Nadowli-Kaleo with over 28 years of parliamentary experience, former Minority Leader, former Majority Leader, and former Minister. The NPP presented Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye, who had served as Speaker of the 7th Parliament and was seeking a second term.

After hours of chaos, military invasion in the chamber, ballot snatching attempts, and a physical fight between MPs, the secret ballot was finally held.

Bagbin won the election with 138 votes, while Prof. Mike Oquaye received 136 votes. One ballot was rejected. With that slim victory, Alban Bagbin became the first Speaker in Ghana’s Fourth Republic history to be elected from an opposition party, as the NDC was in opposition at the time.

Why NPP MPs Would Vote For NDC Candidate?

According to political analysts, Bagbin’s claim is highly plausible. Alban Bagbin has served in Parliament since 1993 and is respected by both sides of the aisle as a man of principle and deep knowledge of parliamentary procedures.

Many NPP MPs, especially those who had served with him for years, knew that unlike a partisan Speaker, Bagbin would be firm but fair. Prof. Mike Oquaye, on the other hand, was seen by some NPP MPs as too close to the Executive under President Akufo-Addo.

Bagbin explained that his reputation for impartiality was what saved him.

“They voted for me because they trusted me to be balanced and impartial,” he said, adding that his long years of service and his commitment to parliamentary democracy earned him cross-party respect.

Bagbin Didn’t Have Full NDC Support?

The more shocking part of his revelation is that he did not have full support of the NDC. This suggests that some NDC MPs either voted for Prof. Oquaye or spoiled their ballots, possibly due to internal disagreements, personal preferences, or instructions from other power brokers within the party.

It would be recalled that before the 2021 Speaker election, there were rumours of division within the NDC caucus over who should be presented as Speaker. While the party leadership settled on Bagbin, some MPs reportedly preferred other candidates.

Bagbin’s statement appears to confirm those rumours, and it also highlights the importance of secret ballots in Parliament, which allow MPs to vote their conscience without fear.

From Opposition Speaker To Ruling Party Speaker

Ironically, Alban Bagbin who was elected as an opposition Speaker in 2021, is now serving as Speaker for the ruling government, as the NDC won the 2024 general elections and returned to power under President John Dramani Mahama.

His tenure as Speaker has been marked by several landmark rulings, including his declaration of four parliamentary seats vacant in 2024, his firm stance on parliamentary independence, and his frequent clashes with the Executive over budget allocations for Parliament.

He remains one of the longest-serving parliamentarians in Ghana’s history, having served from 1993 to 2021 before becoming Speaker.

What PR Professionals Must Learn

Speaking to PR professionals at the Koforidua conference, Bagbin said Parliament has a lot of explaining to do and must improve its communication with the public.

He charged PR practitioners to help restore trust in Parliament and help Ghanaians understand the work of the legislature beyond the drama and fighting often shown on TV.

His revelation about his election is seen as a lesson in trust, reputation, and bipartisan credibility – values that every public leader and PR professional must build over time.

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