President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has promised to work with the newly-elected Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin, of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), to advance the peace, progress and prosperity of the Ghanaian people.

In his inaugural address shortly after taking the oath of office for his second term as President on Thursday, 7 December 2020, Nana Akufo-Addo congratulated Mr Bagbin, who had been his colleague lawmaker for years, on his elevation to the position of Speaker.

Nana Akufo-Addo said: “I must, at the outset, express my warm congratulations to my good friend and colleague of many years in this House, the Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, on his assumption of office as the Speaker of the Eighth Parliament of the 4th Republic”.

“Nearly three decades of devoted service to Parliament by you has culminated in this moment, which has seen your elevation to the third great office of state of our nation”.

“Together, you and I will be chartering new territory in the governance and politics of the 4th Republic, for this is the first time in the life of this Republic that a President from one party will be obliged, by the exigencies of the moment and the will of the people, to work, in all sincerity and co-operation, with a Speaker of Parliament from another party.”

Nana Akufo-Addo expressed confidence that “both of us will be guided in our relationship by the supreme interest of our people in ensuring good governance in the ordering of the affairs of state.”

“I want to assure you of my wholehearted determination to work with you to advance the peace, progress and prosperity of the Ghanaian people. Once again, many congratulations to you and the re-elected and new Members of Parliament,” the President added.

Mr Bagbin was elected the next Speaker of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic after a chaotic voting exercise in the chamber of parliament in the early hours of Thursday, 7 January 2020.

He was elected over the New Patriotic Party's nominee, Prof Mike Oquaye, who had served as Speaker of the Seventh Parliament.

Chief Justice Anin Yeboah administered the oath of allegiance and the speaker's oath to Mr Bagbin.

Mr Bagbin is a member of the NDC and has been the MP for Nadowli Kaleo in the Upper West region in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th parliaments of the 4th republic of Ghana.

Mr Bagbin announced his intention to run for President in 2008 on the NDC ticket, but never stood for the primaries.

He became the Majority Leader of parliament in 2009.

Following a cabinet reshuffle in January 2010, he was appointed Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing by President John Evans Atta Mills. 

He was also Majority Leader of Parliament under President John Mahama when he succeeded Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, who was appointed as the Minister of Defence.