I became speaker with support of NPP MPs, I will be impartial but not neutral – Bagbin

Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has said he has friends in both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Parliament.

According to him, he was able to win the election in Parliament to become the speaker due to the support of some NPP lawmakers. To that end, he said he will be impartial.

However, he said, he cannot be neutral because he has an interest in what happens on the floor of the House.

“Through out my practice I have never been a fanatic of party politics,” he told the Council of State members in a meeting.

He added ” I have always preached across the the political divide. I have very good friends from the other side and that is how come I won

“I couldn’t have won without the support of members from the [NPP] and so you will hear me say that at the end of the day, I don’t expect either party to praise me.

“You also heard me say that in the performance of my functions, I will be impartial, but I will not be neutral. This is what I learned from my farther the late Rt Honorable Peter Ala Adjetey.

“He said in a ruling which is in the hansard. So, any matter that comes before the House I cannot be neutral because I have an interest in it but in performing my duty as speaker I will be impartial.

“I cannot sit as Speaker and see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil. That will be abdicating my rule as a stateman, as one of the leaders of the country.

“So I have an interest in what happens on the floor. When I disagree against the left or the right I will say it. That is what I am committed to do. That is why I said that at the end of the day I don’t expect either party to praise me because I may hurt both.”