General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu says the National Democratic Congress (NDC) might lose its Deputy Speakership slot if they do not cooperate.
Interacting with the press after the party’s Executive Council meeting on Monday, Mr Boadu noted although the difference between the NPP and NDC in parliament is very slim, the opposition should not put up what he described as a needless contest for the main and first Deputy Speaker positions.
In his view, the NPP will unanimously vote to acquire the First Speaker and first Deputy Speaker slots and leave the NDC with the second Deputy Speaker position.
He stressed, however, that should the NDC put up a challenge, the only independent candidate of the next Parliament who has chosen to sit with the NPP will be nominated.
“The constitution does not even state that it is the majority party that will get speakership. According to the constitution, anybody can be nominated within and outside parliament and it will be put to vote.
Emphasizing on the NPP’s approach of the process with a united front, the party’s Chief Scribe affirmed that “there is no way that we are going to lose the Speakership; we will win the First Speaker, the First Deputy Speaker.
“And per what the constitution dictates, we cannot have one party having all the three speakership position. So by that, the third one can go.”
“But even with that, if they do not cooperate, we may have a situation where the only independent candidate becomes the Second Deputy Speaker,” he said on Monday.
“So I think it is in the interest of all of us to cooperate and not to put on a needless contest in order for us to all come together and work together for the cohesion that we need.”
Already, the NPP National Council has nominated Prof Aaron Mike Ocquaye to serve another term as the Speaker in the eighth Parliament of Ghana.
The party has, however made changes to some of its leadership on Parliament, although it is maintaining Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu as the Majority Leader, MP-elect for Effutu, Alex Afenyo Markin will serve as the Deputy.
NPP is also making MP-elect for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh as its Chief Whip while the MP-elect for Ayawaso West Wuogon and MP for Tolon Constituency serve as his deputies.
Source: myjoyonline.com
