According to reports from GhanaWeb, a prominent figure within the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Amoako Baah, has cautioned against appointing Alexander Afenyo-Markin as the Minority Leader in Parliament.
He argued that such a decision would merely reward Afenyo-Markin for his poor performance during his time as Majority Leader.
This statement follows suggestions from several NPP Members of Parliament (MPs) who are advocating for Afenyo-Markin to take the leadership role for their faction.
Notable party members, including First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu and Deputy Minority Chief Whip Ahmed Ibrahim, have voiced strong support for keeping Afenyo-Markin as the leader of the NPP caucus in the 9th Parliament.Â
Joe Wise emphasized the importance of experience, recalling how Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu distinguished himself in both leadership capacities, attributing his success to deliberate actions rather than chance.
Recently, the NPP’s women’s caucus has also added their voice to the discussion. Sheila Bartels, the MP for Ablekuma North, publicly urged the party to retain Patricia Appiagyei as deputy leader and Afenyo-Markin as the leader.
In an interview with Starr Today, Dr. Baah expressed his belief that Afenyo-Markin had not succeeded in upholding the party’s majority status.
He pointed out that while a party can rise to leadership through hard work, in this case, a demotion occurred while still seeking a leadership role.
He further advised the party to disregard any endorsements from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) regarding Afenyo-Markin’s leadership.
Dr. Baah argued that the priorities of the NDC do not align with the NPP’s goals and emphasized that the reasons for the party’s past failures must be addressed before considering a return to leadership for Afenyo-Markin.