Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, former Majority Leader and Suame MP has narrated how the now minority leader in parliament Alexander Afenyo Markin took over his role as the majority leader.
The former majority leader revealed some of his colleagues, about 80 MPs informed him ahead of time that the former president Akufo-Addo wanted him out.
He revealed the NPP MPs encouraged him to fight back, assuring him of their support.
According to Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, former president Akufo-Addo was concerned about the NPP’s weakening influence in the Central Region and required a leader who could reinforce their position.
He noted that Akufo-Addo, claimed Afenyo-Markin, who hailed from the Central Region, was a more strategic choice to counter the NDC’s growing influence.
Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM on Tuesday, March 4, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu detailed, “…What he [the president] said was that at the time, the NDC had elected John Mahama as their presidential candidate, but he hadn’t yet selected his running mate. Based on how things were going, we knew Professor Naana Jane would be his choice”.
“At the time, Ato Forson had also taken over from Haruna Iddrisu as Minority Leader, meaning the NDC was expected to have both its Vice presidential candidate and Minority Leader from the same region.
So, the president said the party’s visibility in the Central Region was low, and we needed to strengthen our presence there that is why they wanted someone from the Central Region,” he added.
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu further revealed he decided to step down to prevent internal party chaos.
He narrated, “I was informed about my removal by the president at the time. He called the MPs and ministers to discuss the decision with them”.
“So, when the issue came up, over 80 MPs out of the 137 signed a petition stating that they had heard I was being removed and wanted me to assure them that I would stay on, as they were ready to support me.”
“When I entered the meeting room, the president was not yet there. Some of the ministers told me they had heard about my removal and urged me not to accept it because they were ready to stand by me.
“But when the president arrived and explained the decision, he emphasized that it was a party decision, not his personal choice.
At that moment, if I had resisted, as the MPs suggested, it could have caused a major implosion in the party. So, I decided to step down.”
Watch the video below:
How Afenyo-Markin became Majority Leader of the NPP
pic.twitter.com/UfLEwRrxFF— KALYJAY (@gyaigyimii) March 4, 2025
