Mahama endorsing Speaker nominee normal, but wording matters – Prof. Prempeh

Prof. H. Kwasi Prempeh, Executive Director of CDD-Ghana, sees no issue with President-elect John Mahama publicly endorsing Alban Bagbin as Speaker of the 9th Parliament, given the Speaker’s close ties to government.

However, he cautions against portraying the Speaker as merely a presidential nominee, as this risks deepening Ghana’s "imperial presidency" and weakening parliamentary independence.

In a Facebook post, Prof. Prempeh recommended Mahama’s statement be rephrased to reflect collective party consensus before announcing his endorsement.

While supporting Bagbin's re-election, he stressed the importance of balancing executive influence with parliamentary autonomy.

Bagbin, meanwhile, has expressed gratitude to Mahama for his confidence and pledged to serve with integrity in his next term.