Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the General Secretary of the NDC, has been explaining to the media why he did not opt for the Speakership position when he was proposed privately by the Minority Leader.

Speaking to Citi TV as monitored by GhanaWeb, Asiedu Nketia aka General Mosquito as he is known popularly, explained that the eventual Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin’s advantage of being a lawyer also made him rescind his decision and allowed him to go for the contest.

Asiedu Nketia further indicated:

“Bagbin had been a Deputy Speaker before and I knew how much he was liked; if [the] NPP had not approached that election with that seriousness I believe Bagbin would have won with more than 20 votes, but the way it went that is how come the margin of victory became that low.”

Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu at a thanksgiving event held in honour of Alban Bagbin in the Waala, disclosed that prior to the election of the Speaker for the 8th Parliament on January 7, he, Iddrisu, nominated Johnson Asiedu Nketia and Alban Bagbin.

This was after some members of the Minority led by Mohammed Muntaka-Mubarak and Mahama Ayariga had urged him to vie for the Speakership.

Alban Bagbin, on January 7 this year was elected Speaker of the 8th Parliament.

He polled 138 votes during a secret ballot while his rival Prof Aaron Mike Oquaye of the NPP polled 136 votes.

He is the first elected Speaker of Parliament from an opposition party in Ghanaian politics.