Member of Parliament for Effutu, Lawyer Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin
Even before the just ended Parliamentary Elections, some of us had no doubt in our mind(s) that, he was going to garner more votes for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo in the Presidential Elections.
The outstanding man in question is the obvious reason why, the National Democratic Congress in Effutu Constituency keeps changing Parliamentary candidates in every general election held in this country.
The records will show that, in 2012 when he contested for the first time in his early 30s as a young man, there was already an incumbent Member of Parliament who had served the NDC in diverse ways.
In fact, Mr.Mike Allen Hammah was a cabinet minister who clinched on the seat for twelve years. He nearly became the Effutu Mugabe had it not been the bold intervention of vintage Hon. Alexander Kwamena Afenyo- Markin. That brave fight a lot of people virtually saw it as seemingly impossible in 2012 general elections actually got the seat for the New Patriotic Party.
It is also a matter of fact that, ever since he won the seat for the NPP, he has never relented in his pursuit to make Effutu Constituency the gateway to Central Region. His effective leadership in his constituency is the reason why, he is nicknamed "THE SHOW BOY"
He keeps increasing votes for the NPP in every general election. This certainly means that he is someone who brings a lot to the party when it comes to votes. Even in parliament, he comes in as a rescuer during tough debates.
Those who have followed Effutu politics very well would attest to the fact that, his emergence actually resurrected the anaemic fortunes of the NPP.
It is worth praising to note that, In 2008 when Alexander Kwamena Afenyo - Markin discovered the very militating odds which held the party's fortunes in abeyance, he confronted the challenge by devoting his time to serve his people as an Assemblyman and subsequently as a presiding officer for the Effutu District Assembly.
His performance at the end of the day gave his people an opportunity to try their luck on the NPP. Today, at the mention of "NPP", the people throng to the streets to rejoice. They rejoice with confidence because Hon. Alex Markin has served them diligently and in good faith.
The very problem which confronted NPP in Effutu Constituency was purely about the unflinching love the good people of Effutu had for the NDC because of how deeply rooted the party became as a result of its longevity in the constituency. It took venerable Alex Markin to break the said long-standing record of NDC.
It is not for nothing that, the popular votes he garnered in the just end 2020 parliamentary elections remain the highest in Central Region. It is also instructive to note further that, for the first time in history, NPP won 90% of polling stations in Effutu Constituency in both parliamentary and presidential.
Hon. Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin's intimidating personality was the reasons why NDC constitutionally elected parliamentary candidates for 2020 general elections decided to step down in 2019. He gently did that to avoid humiliation. That humiliation is the sword of damocles Kofi Ab3br3s3 is carrying today on his neck.
I perfectly share in the sentiments of all those who are calling on the party to consider him as a majority leader of the 8th Parliament. The next Parliament would definitely not be an easy-going having regard to seeming numerical tie on both sides of the political divide.
The NDC members of Parliament have actually through their actions served notice that, they are going to hard on Akufo Addo's government particularly in the area of deliberations on government business in the house.
As it stands now, the only thing that can save the NPP is an immediate elevation of the current majority leader to pave way for a more energetic fresh blood like the NDC did in 2017. Hon. Alex Markin's intimidating aura which threw Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan out of the supreme court in 2015 should be the reason why he should be considered as the majority leader for the next parliament.
