Vacant Seat Controversy: Afenyo-Markin demonstrated leadership and maturity – Dr. Joshua Zaato

Policy Analyst and Senior Lecturer of the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana, Dr. Joshua Jebuntie Zaato has applauded the leader of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) caucus in parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin for demonstrating good leadership and maturity at the last sitting of parliament.

During a panel discussion on TV3’s Key Points, Dr Joshua Zaato stated that Afenyo-Markin saved the country and the whole NPP from that spectacle the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was craving for.

According to him, the leader of the NPP demonstrated leadership and maturity by pulling his members back from reacting in an unlawful manner that could have presented a rather bad image of the country’s democracy.

“The whole country took a sigh of relief that spectacle wasn’t done. It didn’t matter if someone was right or wrong but that spectacle would have been the worst in our political history,” he observed.

Dr Zaato stated that Afenyo-Markin is worth celebrating for the move he took because small moves like these prevent the worst from happening.

It would be recalled that Members of Parliament (MPs) from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) staged a walkout after MPs from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) occupied their seats.

This dramatic turn of events was anticipated following last week’s controversy surrounding the Speaker’s declaration of four seats as vacant and the Supreme Court’s subsequent stay of execution.

Alexander Afenyo-Markin, MP for Effutu and leader of the NPP MPs explained that they chose to retreat to their offices to await directives from Speaker Alban Sumana Bagbin rather than confront their opponents and risk chaos.

Afenyo-Markin emphasized Ghana’s reputation as a peaceful nation, saying, “We will not allow anyone to disturb the peace of this country.”