Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has revealed that some members of his own party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), attacked him for allowing a swift vetting process for President Mahama’s ministerial nominees.
“When we lost the election, some people attacked me for allowing Mahama’s ministers to go through the vetting process faster than expected,” he disclosed. “But I said, look, we don’t need to create a vacuum. Let’s push it through.
“The government must be formed quickly. If they make mistakes, that’s when we can criticize them,” he said on the KSM show monitored by MyNewsGh.
Despite the internal backlash, Afenyo-Markin maintained that a swift governance transition was necessary for stability. However, his leadership in Parliament hasn’t been without its own struggles.
“There are times my colleagues disagree with cooperation. There are times they don’t like my approach. But as a leader, you must always balance it,” he admitted.
Aside from dealing with internal party resistance, Afenyo-Markin also defended his firm scrutiny of certain NDC MPs during vetting, particularly Sam George.
“Yes, I wanted to scrutinize him. I needed to. That’s politics,” he stated.
According to him, Sam George’s repeated criticisms of President Akufo-Addo and the Chief Justice made him a target for tough questioning.
“The attacks on the Chief Justice, the attacks on Akufo-Addo—there was a lot. If you make such strong statements, you should be ready to defend them when the time comes.”
Despite the challenges of leading the Minority, Afenyo-Markin insists that he remains focused on his duty.
“I have to play my role as Minority Leader. I have a responsibility to lead the rebranding of the party. The base must be activated, and we must hold the NDC to the fire.”
For him, perception is key in politics.
“The most important thing is that it’s a perception-driven enterprise. People must see that you are fighting for your party. That’s what matters.”
