Boakye Agyarko named in tight Speaker race as NDC also prepares list for January 7 showdown

The name of former campaign manager of President Akufo-Addo and former Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko has been proposed for strong consideration as Speaker of Parliament ahead of the crunch convening of parliament on January 7th as the NDC also claims majority and prepares shortlist.

This is after various names were proposed though it remains unclear which party will make the majority or minority.

The opposition NDC has said it is also preparing a shortlist of persons for the role of the speaker on January 7th, which list include among others Alban Bagbin, Asiedu Nketia, Cletus Avoka and Justice W. Atuguba.

So far, on the NPP side, Professor Ransford Gyampo, a political science lecturer at the University of Ghana proposed Freddie Blay as the next Speaker of Parliament.

He said the current National Chairman of the party is best suited for the role in what will be a near-hung parliament.

In a long write-up on why President Akufo-Addo should choose the former Ellembelle lawmaker, he said Freddie Blay has the experience to handle the novel Parliament.

However, in another twist, People’s National Convention executive, Atik Mohammed is proposing Boakye Agyarko for consideration. He didn’t give any reasons except indicating that Boakye Kyeremanteng Agyarko as Speaker “won’t be bad at all.”

The former minister has been off the radar since leaving office as Energy minister and has been supporting the activities of the NPP since.

MyNewsGh.com sources have indicated that there is stern lobbying taking place within corridors of the new administration for the Speakership position.

Names like Hon. Papa Owusu Ankomah former MP for Sekondi, Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice Ayikoi Otoo, Freddie Blay among others have come up.