By Daniel Bampoe
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has finally broken his silence on one of Ghana’s most enduring political rumours — the claim that former Dome-Kwabenya MP, Sarah Adwoa Safo, crossed party lines to support his election as Speaker of the 8th Parliament in January 2021.
Speaking when the family of Apostle Kwadwo Safo paid a courtesy call on him at Parliament House on Monday, October 13, 2025, Bagbin categorically denied that Adwoa Safo voted for him, clarifying that although one New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP indeed voted for him, it was not the former Deputy Majority Leader.
“I call her my daughter because when I came to Parliament, she was a small girl. So, I began calling her my daughter before she joined politics and entered Parliament. But we belong to different political traditions,” Bagbin explained.
He continued: “Because she is my daughter and we love each other, when I was contesting to be Speaker, they thought she voted for me. But it’s not true. Adwoa Safo never voted for me.”
The Speaker’s remarks put to rest years of speculation that had lingered since the tense January 7, 2021 parliamentary sitting that saw his dramatic election as Speaker — the first time in the history that a candidate from the then opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) took the position under an NPP-led government.
The 2021 Speaker election was marked by chaos, confusion, and tension between MPs of the two major political parties.
The ballot process was marred by heated exchanges, physical confrontations, and at one point, a dramatic scene in which NPP MP Carlos Ahenkorah snatched a ballot box and attempted to flee the chamber.
The final results saw Bagbin narrowly defeat the NPP’s nominee, former Speaker Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye, in what was widely believed to be a razor-thin margin.
The outcome triggered internal suspicion within the NPP, with claims that one or more of their MPs had voted against their own candidate.
Among those accused was Adwoa Safo, whose long absence from parliamentary duties and strained relations with her party leadership later deepened perceptions that she might have played a role in the party’s 2021 embarrassment.
However, the former Gender Minister has repeatedly denied the accusation. In a 2023 interview, she insisted that she voted for Prof. Oquaye and that she and Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu had even warned President Akufo-Addo before the election that Oquaye’s candidacy was unpopular among some MPs.
“I voted for Professor Mike Oquaye because I wouldn’t have gone there if I was not going to vote,” Adwoa Safo said at the time.
“I know everyone who voted against him, and this country will turn upside down if I decide to mention names.”
She further argued that the votes were never properly counted due to the chaotic scenes that erupted, asserting that several NPP MPs had already planned to defy the party’s directive.
“Those who voted against Professor Mike Oquaye were not only two but were many, and that is why Hon. Carlos Ahenkorah went to snatch the ballot box,” she revealed.
Bagbin’s latest clarification appears to vindicate Adwoa Safo, who had faced intense political backlash and near-expulsion from the NPP over the allegations.
His remarks now offer a rare glimpse into one of the most controversial moments in Ghana’s parliamentary history — one that reshaped political alliances and left behind deep partisan mistrust.
The Speaker’s confirmation, coming nearly five years after the event, may not only restore Adwoa Safo’s political reputation but also reopen public debate about the internal divisions within the NPP that contributed to their shock loss in the 2021 Speakership race.
