Afenyo-Markin refuses to speak on air unless addressed by former Majority Leader title

The former Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, who has now assumed the role of Minority Leader, shocked some listeners and viewers on both live radio and TV on Thursday, October 17, 2024, when he insisted that a journalist introduces him by his former title (Majority Leader) before he grants an interview.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament, who until the afternoon of Thursday, October 17, were the Majority Caucus of the Parliament of Ghana in the 8th Parliament, within some few minutes transited to become the Minority side of the House.

The same change is reflected in the titles of their leadership.

The unprecedented move and change happened after the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, declared four seats in the House vacant.

It follows a move by the NDC MPs on the Speaker, based on Article 97 [1(g) & (h)] of the 1992 Constitution, which states that “A member of Parliament shall vacate his seat in Parliament if he leaves the party of which he was a member at the time of his election to Parliament to join another party or seeks to remain in Parliament as an independent member; or if he was elected a member of Parliament as an independent candidate and joins a political party.”

The move led by Haruna Iddrisu comes after the MPs for Agona West and Suhum, who are members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), filed their nominations to contest in the 2024 parliamentary election as independent candidates.

The independent MP for Fomena has also filed his nomination to contest in the election on the ticket of the NPP, and the Amenfi Central MP, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), also filed his nomination to contest as an independent candidate.

But the Effutu MP, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who has announced that he has filed an injunction application at the Supreme Court in response to the move to declare the seats of independent candidates vacant, in an interview on Joy FM and JoyNews, monitored by GhanaWeb, expressed his displeasure for not being referred to by his former title.

The following are the exchanges between the MP and the journalist when he was called via phone for a live interview on the back of happenings in Parliament.

“… Let me hear how you introduce me again.”

The journalist responded, “Okay, so we have Alexander Afenyo-Markin, MP for Effutu, on the line.”

The MP, obviously not happy, responded: “You either do the right thing or I just go off.”

The journalist then quickly addresses him again.

“Okay, so I have the Majority Leader on the line, Alexander Afenyo-Markin; is that okay?” the journalist asked.

The MP then retorted, “Young man, how do you do your journalism? You will introduce someone properly. You don’t make these things for me to remind you and all that. What do you gain from it? Is it okay for us to have a banter?”

The journalist responded, “No, no. I only said I have the Majority Leader…” the MP swiftly interjected, saying, “You started with I have Alexander Afenyo-Markin, then you said MP for Effutu, then I had to remind you. Please, let’s do the right thing. Is that okay? So, do the right thing and let’s proceed.” The journalist then said, “Okay, please forgive me. So, let me bring in Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin.”

A now satisfied Afenyo-Markin then responded, “Yes, sir, good evening to you; thanks for having me.”