Bagbin rejects Mahama's announcement of Agalga as Majority Leader

Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has rejected President John Dramani Mahama's communication announcing

James Agalga as the new Majority Leader, saying the prescribed parliamentary procedure was not followed.

Mr Bagbin said the President had no authority to formally communicate a change in the leadership of the Majority Caucus to the Speaker.

Under Parliament's Standing Orders, he said, such a change must be communicated by the General Secretary of the political party concerned after the decision has been taken by the relevant parliamentary caucus.

The Speaker made the clarification when Parliament reconvened on Monday, August 24.

He said the Presidency's communication had been made in error because the procedure for changing the Majority Leader had not been followed.

“The communication says acting because the President has no authority to communicate the change of the leadership of the House to the Speaker. And so it was actually done in error.”

Mr Bagbin said the Standing Orders define the Majority Leader as an MP designated by the Majority Caucus to lead it in Parliament.

He explained that, in practice, the political party communicates the decision to the Speaker through its General Secretary.

“Clearly, our Standing Orders say Majority Leader means a Member of Parliament designated by the Majority Caucus as their leader in the House.”

Agalga not yet formally recognised

The ruling means Builsa North MP James Agalga cannot yet formally assume the position of Majority Leader.

Mr Agalga was announced by President Mahama as the replacement for Mahama Ayariga, who is expected to take up a new government role.

However, Mr Bagbin said the change would only take effect for parliamentary purposes after the required communication had been received from the governing party and the Majority Caucus had completed its process.

Until then, Mahama Ayariga remains the recognised Majority Leader, according to the Speaker.

“That is why you still see that the Majority Leader is still in his seat, because he's still the Majority Leader, until otherwise communicated by the party and then decided by the caucus and the information passed on.”

The Speaker's ruling effectively separates the President's announcement of a political leadership change from its formal recognition within Parliament.

What happens next?

The governing party will need to communicate the change through the prescribed channel and ensure that the Majority Caucus' decision is formally conveyed to the House.

Only after that process is completed can Mr Agalga be formally recognised as Majority Leader.

The development comes as Parliament considers several major issues following its recall from recess.

For now, the parliamentary record remains unchanged, with Mr Ayariga continuing to hold the recognised position of Majority Leader.