A Political Analyst and a lecturer at the University of Cape Coast, Dr Jonathan Asante Otchere, has said that given the age and experience of Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) would have gone for a much older and experienced person to replace him as Majority Leader and not Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
Nonetheless, he said, he believes Afenyo-Markin will be able to do the work because he has mastered the Standing Orders.
“I thought he was too young for the position, especially looking at the experience of his predecessor, so I was thinking they could have gone for a more experienced person but it appears he has done so well in terms of the standing orders of Parliament,” Dr. Asante Otchere told Beatrice Adu on the mid-day news on 3FM Friday February 23.
Dr Jonathan Asante Otchere further said he foresees a lot of consensus building in Parliament under the new Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
In his view, Mr Afenyo-Markin is mindful of the fact that the NPP is not in a good position when it comes to the numbers in Parliament and hence will need to build agreements with the Miniorty rather than resorting to balloting in the House.
Afenyo-Markin has called for cooperation from all sides of the house to deliver.
He says he has a duty to keep the House united hence he will not allow rancour to prevail.
In his maiden address to Parliament as Majority Leader on Friday, February 23, he said “The unity of this house will depend on me and I can’t allow rancour to prevail…I call for your cooperation.” Afenyo-Markin further said he never anticipated his appointment into this new role.
Briefing Parliament after his official introduction to the House as Leader of the Majority caucus, he said “I never saw it coming.” He added, “it has been rough and sometimes it is as if there is no light at the end of the tunnel.”
Dr Asante Otchere said “I think it is a great speech, he has given the history, where he has come from, and where he has gotten to. Having dealt with the standing orders it appears he has really kept a lot of them into his head.
“The speech is nothing bad at all, he understands that there will be a time when parliamentary duties will be acrimonious…by and large, I foresee more consensus than partisanship. I do not see the Majirty in the good stead at all and the acrimony can easily work against them. he would rather opt for more consensus-building than going for the ballot.”
Regarding Afenyo-Markin’s appointment, the outgone Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu had told all the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmakers and the entire Parliament to support him to deliver.
This was after he officially briefed the House and Speaker Alban Bagbin on the changes made to the leadership of the Majority.
“I introduce to you Afenyo Markins who takes over from me as Majority Leader,” he said.
To the lawmaker, especially the Majority, he said “Support my successor to prosecute the remaining agenda of the government.”
Mr Kyei-Mensah Bonsu further said on the floor of the House that his resignation as Majority Leader was voluntary.
He thanked the Speaker Alban Bagbin for the cooperation that has existed between them over the years. “Thank you for the cooperation and collaboration that existed between you and I over the entire period that our paths crossed,” he said among other things.
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has been kept as the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs despite his resignation as Majority Leader.
This was after the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) confirmed the MP for Efutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin as his replacement as Majority Leader.