Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has rebuked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his controversial statement that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) would find a way to hold on to power even if they lost the 2024 elections.
Describing the remarks as ‘dangerous and inappropriate,’ the Speaker emphasized that the presidency’s authority belongs to the people and that after January 6, 2025, power will rest with whoever is legitimately elected, whether the NPP’s Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia or the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s John Dramani Mahama.
In an exclusive interview with TV3 on Tuesday, September 10, Bagbin stressed that the transition of power is ceremonial and dismissed Akufo-Addo’s comments as ‘an empty boast’ and a potential threat to the democratic process.
“The people would be looking at the person they have voted for, not him,” he stated.
According to him, seasoned leaders like President Akufo-Addo should demonstrate higher responsibility.
“In mature democracies, they would take actions more than what we would do. That would have soiled all his records as a politician, you know, and all those descriptions people make of him in terms of law, defence of human rights, and the media,” he said.
Bagbin also criticized Minister for Food and Agriculture Bryan Acheampong for similar comments, accusing him of reckless remarks due to his lack of experience in governance.
He lamented the Minister’s lack of experience and suggested that his inexperience and rapid rise in political power have contributed to his reckless remarks.
“He does not know the public sector, about governance, about politics, and he is now going to lead a whole sector. He has never handled such power before, and therefore they think that they are the alpha and the omega,” he stated.
The Speaker also expressed concern about the declining trust in the Electoral Commission (EC) and called for the restoration of public confidence in the electoral process, warning that peaceful elections depend on the collaboration of all stakeholders, including security agencies.
He pointed to the 2020 elections, during which the use of force by security agencies at certain polling stations caused public distrust in the system.
“If the Electoral Commission is not going to take up the mantle together with other stakeholders, particularly the security agencies led by the Ghana Police Service, we cannot have peaceful elections,” he warned and stressed the military has no business to be present during elections until law and order breaks down, and they are called.
Bagbin reiterated that the EC should function as an impartial body and stressed that the loss of trust and credibility has to be restored, not by the Commission alone, but by all stakeholders.