The Executive Director of the Centre for Democratic Development-Ghana (CDD-Ghana), Prof. Henry Kwasi Prempeh, has said there is nothing wrong with a President-elect publicly endorsing a nominee for the position of Speaker.
According to him, although the two are separate leaders of two different arms of government, they will have to work together for a smooth administration, therefore seeing nothing wrong with the endorsement.
In a post on his Facebook Sunday, January 05, 2025, Prof. Prempeh noted the incoming president should possess an interest in the choice of person to become the Speaker due to the nature of the work they are supposed to do.
“It is to be expected that the President, as head of government, would have a strong interest in and influence over the choice of Speaker, as the occupant of the Speaker’s chair must work closely with the President and his ministers to ensure the smooth running of government,” he stated.
“In particular, where, as in the incoming Parliament, the President’s party also controls an overwhelming majority of the seats, the President’s preference for Speaker should carry significant weight in the MPs’ decision. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with the President publicly expressing and indicating his preference for Speaker and urging or admonishing MPs,” he added.
He, however, cautioned that the idea should not be entrenched to suggest the Speaker is merely a nominee of the President, creating the idea that the Legislature is subservient to the Executive.
His comments followed a directive from the President-elect to the NDC Members of Parliament-elect to nominate Alban Sumana Bagbin as Speaker for the 9th Parliament.
He also stated that Mr Mahama’s statement should have been properly worded.
Prof Prempeh suggested that the statement from the President-elect should have read as follows: “The Members of Parliament-elect of the National Democratic Congress, [having consulted with the National Executive of the Party], have agreed collectively to support the nomination and re-election of the Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Badgin, Speaker of the 8th Parliament, as Speaker of the 9th Parliament.”
With this, he believes “The President can then freely announce his endorsement of this choice.”
