Majority Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) for Nadowli-Kaleo, Alban Kingsford Bagbin, has launched his seventh term for parliament by extolling the virtues of President John Mahama.
He said the president has only given the tip of the iceberg and the time is right when gigantic projects to fall on our their constituencies with telling signs for all to see.
“I urge you all to heavily endorse the candidature of President Mahama and myself for us to go and continue our good works,’’ he told the cheering supporters.
He thanked the chiefs and people of the Nadowli constituency for the confidence repose him since 1992 adding “through your support, we are not just a constituency but a national constituency.”
Before Mr Bagbin got the nod to represent the party in the 2016 polls, there was a bitter contest at the party’s primaries in November which nearly divided the party.
He has had a frosty relationship with the president after he described Mahama’s government as one for family and friends.
Mr Bagbin in November 2015 took his crusade of criticism against the presidency a notch higher by disowning the administration saying it is for “family and friends” and standing by his remarks criticising the president for being inaccessible and also lacking the political will to fight corruption.
His remark drew sharp criticism from some party faithful telling him off for his comments which they deemed a public ridiculing of the President.
Things were heady with the Deputy Communication Minister, Felix Ofosu Kwakye calling on him to resign only for Mr Bagbin replying to say “we had to tell him [President Mahama] for him to be able to change”.
The member of government’s ‘three wise men’ Mr Bagbin demanded the party takes over the running of the presidency because “it is the party that promised the people” and got Mahama elected.
Speaking to Joy News then, he said there are people who wrote the party manifesto and fought for John Mahama to become president and that these people ought to “be in charge of the governance of this country to make sure we implement the promises to the people”.
“President Mahama cannot implement it alone”, he charged.
But at a campaign launch to seek the mandate of the people, Alban Bagbin pledged to speed up development in the area.
Judging by the number of supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), government officials including the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah as well as MPs, it is evident to see both the party and government holds him in high esteem.
Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, President of the Volta Regional caucus in parliament, who represented the majority caucus in Parliament, said Mr Bagbin is a general in Parliament and therefore called on the supporters to vote for him massively to more than 95 percent of the total votes.
Mr Debrah who has been in the region for the past week on a campaign tour told the gathering that Ghanaians would be unfair to President Mahama if they failed to give Mahama a second term.
The man who stole the show at the launch was Roger Gaali who had a bitter contest with Mr Bagbin for the seat.
“Democracy is about counting heads and not cutting off, henceforth, there is no Roger faction or Bagbin Camp. We are one. The constituency still has issues with electricity, roads and water; it is my belief that when we vote for President Mahama and Alban Bagbin, they will fix the challenges for us,” he assured the supporters.
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