Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has denied describing presidential staffer Nana Yaa Akyenpim Jantuah as a “nobody” during the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presentation of its petition at the Jubilee House.
Mr Afenyo-Markin explained that his remarks were directed at the decision to assign Ms Jantuah alone to receive the party’s petition and were not intended as a comment on her qualifications, status or personal worth.
The clarification follows a complaint by Ms Jantuah, who expressed disappointment over what she described as a disrespectful remark made by the Minority Leader during the event.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosiisen on Thursday, August 6, Ms Jantuah said she was shocked by the alleged comment, particularly because it was made publicly in the presence of political figures and the media.
“I’m so mortified that you could stand there and look in the face of a woman and tell that woman she is nobody. I just cannot comprehend what happened,” she said.
She argued that the remark was not only offensive to her personally but also appeared to diminish the office she represented when she was assigned to receive the NPP’s petition.
Mr Afenyo-Markin, however, has rejected that interpretation, insisting that he did not question Ms Jantuah’s competence or right to receive the petition.
Speaking on Accra-based Metro TV, he said his concern was specifically with the decision to designate only one person to receive the party’s petition.
“I wasn’t saying that she does not qualify. I said ‘to nominate only you’ and I underscored it by saying that with great deference, great respect,” he explained.
He maintained that he was deliberate in expressing respect during the interaction and said his comments should not be portrayed as a personal attack on the presidential staffer.
“I am not perfect, but I am also equally aware of my environment. I don’t go out to be attacking or disrespecting people,” Mr Afenyo-Markin said.
The Minority Leader also accused elements within the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) of attempting to shift attention from the NPP’s demonstration by focusing on the controversy surrounding his exchange with Ms Jantuah.
“My friends in the NDC, they can do their mischief and get people to believe in their mischief,” he said.
He suggested that the controversy was part of an effort to divert public attention from the issues raised by the NPP during its protest and petition presentation.
“I won’t respond to her,” he added.
Mr Afenyo-Markin described the NPP’s demonstration as peaceful and well attended, arguing that the concerns raised by the party were clearly articulated through both the protest and subsequent petitions.
“That a peaceful demonstration, issues well articulated, massive turnout…” he said, emphasising what he considered the key features of the event.
He maintained that he would not allow the dispute with Ms Jantuah to overshadow the issues the NPP sought to highlight through the demonstration.
“I am not going to respond to their agenda. I am old enough in this game, so I understand this game,” he added.
