Bagbin as Speaker will wash away what Mahama has built in the NDC - Lord Hamah predicts

A former member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Lord Hamah has said that in the next four years, the NDC will be ruled by its Parliamentarians.

According to him, with the demise of Jerry John Rawlings and the fading of the Rawlings factor from the NDC, the 137 seats the NDC has in Parliament will become the determinate and legitimate form of authority in the NDC.

Stressing that this will erode the gains in popularity and control of JM within the party, unless he could command significant resources.

To Lord Hamah, most of the NDC Members of Parliament will be compromised by two years time because most of them are not conviction politicians nor ideologically motivated. The majority are at worst neoreactionary and at best careerist.

Below is his full statement:

Also, with the 137 seats, the parliamentary wing of the NDC will outshine all sectors of the party, including Adabraka, as the Rawlings camp has now faded with the demise of its inspired. Parliament will become the determinate and legitimate form of authority in the NDC.

The jubilation is not well informed. The NPP is still the majority in parliament. The most striking irony is that the election of Alban Bagbin is good news for the Government. At least it ensured an NDC presence at the inauguration.

There is an even more interesting point. The celebrative mode by NDC MPs– the wearing of white — endorses and communicates acceptance of the electoral system and an abandonment of aggressive posture i.e. endorsement of the status quo and return to normality.

There is another question: Can an ambitious Bagbin be trusted to tow the line of the NDC, or will he assert himself over the party as he is now the highest public office holder in a party that has no clear leadership?

The warm arm of invitation in the inaugural address of President Akuffo- Addo to Bagbin has much to tell us. Also, with the 137 seats, the parliamentary wing of the NDC will outshine all sectors of the party, including Adabraka, as the Rawlings camp has now faded with the demise of its inspired. Parliament will become the determinate and legitimate form of authority in the NDC.

It pretends that this development will erode the gains in popularity and control of JM within the party unless he could command significant resources. Whatever the case, in two years time most of the NDC MPs will be compromised by the lure of wealth and privilege. These are mostly not conviction politicians nor ideologically motivated. The majority are at worst neoreactionary and at best careerist.

In the Kufuor era, some NDC MPs professed that they were “NOT IN OPPOSITION, BUT IN MINORITY”. That created many difficulties. This time it is worse; they are in “COLLABORATION” with Government!

Perhaps the celebration can be understood. No question has been raised; and will never be raised on the exgratia and pay increases of MPs by the NDC in Parliament. That tells us much.

As a student of the dialectics, I conclude that Bagbin is gift to his long time friend NADAA.