According to Prof. Henry Kwasi Prempeh, Executive Director of the Centre for Democratic Development-Ghana (CDD-Ghana), there is nothing improper with a president-elect publicly supporting a candidate for Speaker.

He says there is nothing improper with the support since, although being independent presidents of two different branches of government, they will need to cooperate for a smooth administration.

Prof. Prempeh stated in a post on his Facebook page on Sunday, January 5, 2025, that the new president ought to be interested in the selection of the Speaker because of the nature of the duties they will be performing.

"The Speaker must work closely with the President and his ministers to ensure the smooth operation of government, so 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," he said.

The President's choice for Speaker should be given considerable consideration by the MPs, especially in cases where the President's party holds an overwhelming majority of the seats, as in the upcoming Parliament. Thus, there is nothing improper with the President openly urging or reprimanding MPs and expressing and declaring his choice for the Speaker," he continued.



However, he issued a warning that the notion that the Speaker is only a presidential nominee should not become ingrained, since this would imply that the Legislature is subordinate to the Executive.

The President-elect instructed the NDC Members of Parliament-elect to designate Alban Sumana Bagbin as Speaker for the 9th Parliament, which prompted his remarks.


Additionally, he said that Mr. Mahama's statement had to have been phrased correctly.

"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," Prof. Prempeh proposed as the President-elect's statement.

"The President can then freely announce his endorsement of this choice," he thinks.