Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin is set to join the race for the presidential nomination of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for elections 2020.
Sources close to the Nadowli/Kaleo Member of Parliament (MP) reveal the legislator is enjoying massive support from other MPs from the three regions of the North.
Posters that popped up on social media especially Facebook with the image of the MP captioned ‘Bagbin 2020’ has begun causing some waves in the NDC, Joy News has learnt.
The posters bear the motto ‘Tried, Tested & Committed’ beneath it.
Mr Bagbin had indirectly revealed his ambition in an interview with Joy News’ Upper West Regional Correspondent, Rafiq Salam when he said it has been his dream to be the President of Ghana.
He was emphatic, “nobody can prevent change…it is constant so when it comes it is important to take advantage of it.”
The former Majority Leader was a strong critic of former President John Mahama over his style of governance.
Mr Bagbin said in November 2013 then President Mahama was “naked” because of the kind of people he had surrounded himself with.
He said he was “deeply worried” about the way the country was being governed, adding he had for far too long “complained in silence” about raging corruption in the country.
“If such characters as Stan Dogbe (then Presidential Staffer), are those managing the president, then our president is naked, very naked! he said.
His criticism was not taken lightly by some government officials who attacked the MP for taking on the then President in public.
But on April 17, this year, Mr Bagbin said what he did was to sound the early warning signs about the way the country was being governed by Mr Mahama.
“In spite of the quality resources we have in our party and personnel, we needed cool heads, knowledge, experience and that is why I came out early enough,” he explained.
An Aide to the MP, Konnuba Joe told Evans Mensah on Joy FM’s Top Story Tuesday, there is a clarion call on the respected legislator to run for the party’s ticket.
“We need somebody from the middle ground who is a suitable person to lead us to the desired expectation,” he said.
But he was emphatic Mr Bagbin is not aware of the posters being circulated on social media. “He is more interested in the re-organisation of the party since he is a member of the legal committee of the party.”
The Second Deputy Speaker might contest former President Mahama who lost his re-election bid in 2016.
Other potential candidates include former Vice Chancellor of University of Professional Studies (UPS-A), Prof. Joshua Alabi and former National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) boss, Sylvester Mensah.
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