Alban Bagbin Reveals More NPP MPs Voted for Him Than NDC Members in Speaker Election

Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has revealed that more Members of Parliament from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) voted for him than members of his own National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the 2021 parliamentary Speaker election.

Bagbin explained that his election was not based solely on support from his party, insisting that several NPP MPs backed his candidature because they trusted him to be fair, balanced and impartial in presiding over parliamentary proceedings.

He made the remarks while speaking at the 2026 National Public Relations (PR) Summit in Koforidua on Thursday, October 22, 2026, where he reflected on the circumstances surrounding his election as Speaker of the Eighth Parliament.

According to Bagbin, not every NDC MP voted for him during the closely contested election, despite his membership of the party.

“I have 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 become the Speaker,” he said.

The Speaker argued that his ability to maintain balance between the two major political parties played an important role in earning the confidence of lawmakers from the opposing side.

He questioned why NPP MPs would have supported him if they had not believed he could handle parliamentary proceedings fairly.

The comments have drawn attention to the political calculations and cross-party relationships that shaped one of the most closely contested Speaker elections in Ghana’s Fourth Republic.

Bagbin was elected Speaker on January 7, 2021, following the 2020 general election, which produced a hung Parliament. Both the NDC and the NPP secured 137 seats each, while an independent MP elected in Fomena also played a role in the balance of power.

The election saw Bagbin face the then Speaker, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, who was nominated by the NPP to retain the position.

Bagbin won the contest with 138 votes against Oquaye’s 136, while one ballot was rejected. The voting process was marked by confusion and confrontations in Parliament before order was restored.

His victory was historic because he became the first Speaker in Ghana’s Fourth Republic to be elected from an opposition party.

The Speaker’s latest remarks reinforce his position that his election was made possible by support that crossed party lines rather than the backing of the NDC alone.