The New Patriotic Party’s Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, continues to struggle with the aftermath of the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections. According to Dr. Tony Aidoo, a former Senior Presidential Aide and Head of the Policy, Evaluation, and Oversight Unit under the late President John Atta Mills, Afenyo-Markin’s failure to come to terms with his party’s defeat has clouded his ability to effectively perform his role as a leader. His emotional response to the loss has diverted his focus, hindering his capacity to strategically cooperate with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on key national policies.
Dr. Aidoo made these statements during an appearance on Ahotor 92.3 FM, hosted by Citizen Kofi Owusu in Accra. He suggested that Afenyo-Markin should accept the reality that he is no longer in charge of government affairs and must stop trying to position his party’s agenda as one that can resist or disrupt the NDC’s majority. Instead, the Minority Leader should focus on cooperating and contributing to the government’s development agenda, which is in the best interest of all Ghanaians who elected parliamentarians.
Dr. Aidoo cautioned that Afenyo-Markin’s combative and argumentative approach would not yield any productive results. The NDC majority in Parliament is in a strong position to drive government policies, and the Minority’s role should be one of constructive engagement, not constant opposition. He emphasized that using confrontation as a strategy would ultimately be counterproductive for the Minority.
Furthermore, Dr. Aidoo highlighted that the NDC majority in Parliament could leverage their numbers to make decisions on critical issues, including the potential impeachment of the President. Afenyo-Markin’s approach, which relies on being combative rather than collaborative, would only undermine his effectiveness as a leader.
Dr. Aidoo also criticized Afenyo-Markin for his inconsistent behaviour. He suggested that the Minority Leader’s self-portrayal as a “gentleman” did not align with his aggressive actions, particularly during parliamentary committee proceedings. Dr. Aidoo argued that Afenyo-Markin is suffering from cognitive dissonance, where his actions conflict with his public rhetoric. This contradiction, according to Dr. Aidoo, undermines Afenyo-Markin’s credibility as a leader.
In further remarks, Dr. Aidoo called for a shift in Afenyo-Markin’s leadership style. He warned that the Minority Leader’s approach—acting as if he is the political “king of the jungle”—lacked foundation and was disrespectful to the public. Dr. Aidoo stressed that this indecisiveness and dishonesty could erode the trust Ghanaians have in their leaders.
Story by: Alexander Kukah
