The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has refuted long-standing claims that the former Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo, voted for him during the election that made him Speaker of the 8th Parliament.

Mr. Bagbin was elected Speaker in January 2021 after a heated and chaotic voting process, during which one New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP was alleged to have crossed party lines to support his bid.

The development sparked internal controversy within the NPP, with Adwoa Safo widely accused of being the alleged defector.

However, speaking when the family of Apostle Kwadwo Safo paid a courtesy call on him in his office on Monday, October 13, Mr Bagbin dismissed the speculation.

He publicly cleared the former lawmaker of any wrongdoing.

“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,” Mr. Bagbin explained.

He added that his long-standing personal relationship with Adwoa Safo likely fueled the misunderstanding.

“Because she is my daughter and we love each other, when I was contesting to be Speaker, they thought she voted for me,” he said.