Akufo-Addo now a ‘lame duck’ president; Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, a limping ‘Majority Leader’ – Bagbin

Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has issued a strong caution to Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, highlighting the imperative of collaboration with the Minority side to avert legislative standstills.

Expressing disappointment with the Majority Leader's inability to ensure the presence of his members during the ongoing 2024 budget debate, Bagbin characterized Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu's performance as "limping."

The Speaker attributed the lacklustre performance of the Majority to the shifting allegiances within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) after the party's presidential primaries.

Observing that Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is now the NPP's flagbearer, Bagbin noted that loyalties are transitioning away from the incumbent, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Bagbin argued that this shift in allegiances has led NPP MPs to neglect their responsibilities and treat President Akufo-Addo as a "lame duck" president.

To address this issue, the Speaker urged the Majority Leader to prioritize cooperation with the Minority side, emphasizing that without this collaboration, the legislative process would suffer.

"I expect the majority who have a limping majority leader, limping because when you look at his back you’re less than those in front of you. You have a lame duck president, a lame duck because you have elected a flagbearer and loyalty and commitment are shifting.

"So, your president is now a lame duck president. You need this side of the house to support you to finish your eight years,” Mr. Bagbin cautioned.

“And so if you don’t behave well, we have difficulty in proceeding as a nation…please, I expect you to cooperate; I will not allow them to bully you. You’ll get sufficient time to put across your case,” he stressed.

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on November 4, 2023, was elected as flagbearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party ahead of the 2024 general election.

Prior to the NPP's presidential primaries, Dr Bawumia enjoyed wide support and endorsement from members of the majority caucus with some members reportedly lobbying for his running mate slot.



GA/SARA

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