A Deputy Whip of the New Patriotic Party in Parliament, Habib Iddrisu has given a detailed account of events that led to former MP for Nadowli Kaleo, Alban Sumana Bagbin being declared as the Speaker of the 8th Parliament.

According to earlier reports, the nominee of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) garnered 138 whilst his contender Prof Mike Oquaye had 136 votes on Thursday.

Contrary to the reports, Mr Iddrisu said both competitors garnered 136 votes each with one rejected ballot and two uncountable ballots.

In view of that, leadership of both NPP and National Democratic Congress (NDC) had to reach an agreement to make Mr Bagbin, who was nominated by the NDC as Speaker.

“Actually announcing someone a winner is not a declaration of results… When Prof Mike Oquaye’s votes were counted and he had got 136 and then the incident with Carlos Ahenkorah happened. So when we went to the chamber and we counted what was retrieved, Alban Bagbin also had 136 and one was spoilt and we couldn’t account for two.”

“So Honourable Alban Bagbin was elected the Speaker of Parliament on consensus,” he told Emefa Apawu on JoyNews’ Top Story Friday.

Meanwhile, the NDC’s General Secretary, Asiedu Nketia at a press briefing blamed the MP for Tema West, Carlos Ahenkorah for the two unaccounted ballot papers.

He alleged that the MP chewed and swallowed the papers after he had snatched them from the clerk during the collation of votes.