The Minority Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) for Effutu, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, has defended some of his controversial decisions in the 8th Parliament most especially he running to supreme court over vacant seat declaration.
Speaking on “The KSM Show” , Afenyo-Markin explained that he had to be assertive because the Minority Caucus was strong and unwilling to negotiate on key issues.
He addressed criticism about his decision to sue the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, after he declared four parliamentary seats vacant. According to him, this action was necessary because both sides of the House refused to engage in dialogue.
“I was alone, and I had to carry everything on my shoulders. That’s why I had to be bold and take tough decisions. People asked why I didn’t negotiate, but the truth is, all doors were shut,” he said.
Afenyo-Markin also claimed that Speaker Bagbin, who is a member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), was never neutral in his rulings.
“The Speaker belongs to a political party, and it was clear that he was doing the bidding of his party. We engaged him, but he would not rule in our favor. So, as a leader, I had to act,” he explained.
He further stated that allowing the Speaker’s decision to stand would have given the NDC control over government business, affecting committee leadership and decision-making in Parliament.
“Our friends were eager to play that political game. I had no choice but to go to the Supreme Court for an interpretation,” he added.
Afenyo-Markin’s remarks shed light on the political tensions in the 8th Parliament as Ghana moves closer to another election.
Source: Ghanaweb
