The Minority Leader in Parliament, Mr. Alexander Afenyo-Markin has urged the Majority Leader Mr. Mahama Ayariga to rein in what he described as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) ‘wild dogs’ in the House.
He noted that despite the diplomacy of the Majority Leader in handling disagreements with the Minority caucus, certain elements within the NDC caucus are attempting to disrupt the smooth cooperation of Parliament.
“There are some elements in the NDC in Parliament who are overly aggressive. They believe they must have their pound of flesh and see themselves as the avant-garde of government business,” the Minority Leader who is also the MP for Effutu stated when the minority caucus address the media in Parliament on Monday.
Speaking on the suspension of three New Patriotic Party (NPP) members by Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, Mr. Afenyo-Markin accused some NDC MPs of frequently interfering with the work of the Appointments Committee.
This, he bemoaned, is creating unnecessary tension, even attempting to intimidate the Committee Chairman.
“For those watching proceedings, anytime the chairman allows smooth deliberations, these individuals come in to disrupt, sometimes even pressuring the chairman to stop me from voting,” Mr. Afenyo-Markin noted.
The Minority Leader also accused the Majority of employing intimidation tactics to suppress dissenting voices, describing instances where Minority members were physically confronted and verbally abused.
The events of last Thursday night, he pointed out, were orchestrated to put pressure on the Minority.
According to him, individuals affiliated with the NDC were “hired, organized, and brought in” to intimidate opposition MPs.
“The NDC has resorted to ferrying its foot soldiers to come and intimidate us. They insult, they bully. We are few, but we are a mighty few. We affirm our conviction, we are determined, and we shall never surrender to their intimidation,” he declared.
Minority stands firm
Mr. Afenyo-Markin stated that despite these challenges, the Minority was resolved to stand firm and uphold democratic principles.
He warned that the caucus would not allow itself to be bullied.
“We will not allow ourselves to be cowed. We are going to stand our ground and ensure that the right thing is done—all in the national interest,” he asserted.
He also underscored the Minority’s cooperative stance in facilitating government business and urged the Majority to reciprocate with respect and fairness.
Bagbin directive rejected
Regarding Speaker Bagbin’s suspension of three NPP MPs following the chaotic scenes during last Thursday’s vetting sessions, Mr. Afenyo-Markin condemned the decision, stressing that the Speaker had grossly exceeded his jurisdiction and mandate, arrogating powers he does not possess.
He emphasised that, per the parliamentary standing orders, a committee should be established to investigate such matters before any punitive actions are taken.
