Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has called for restraint among Members of Parliament regarding public discussions on the New Patriotic Party’s flagbearer running mate slot.
Afenyo-Markin emphasized that no decision has been finalized regarding the position and underscored the importance of maintaining party unity and respect.
“We’ve all heard discussions about selecting a running mate to complement our ticket, but no decision has been made yet,” he clarified.
Speaking to the media in Parliament on Thursday, June 27, Afenyo-Markin addressed recent criticism from colleagues over Energy Minister Matthew Opoku Prempeh purportedly being chosen as running mate to NPP flagbearer Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Media reports suggested that Bawumia had settled on the energy minister and submitted his name to President Akufo-Addo, although this claim has been disputed by some of Bawumia’s aides.
Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin emphasized the importance of avoiding denigration and recognizing imperfections among colleagues. He underscored, “There is no perfect person in this world. There is no perfect character in this world. None of us can tick every box, so let’s be careful how we describe each other, how we say things about our colleagues, and how we approach things.”
Afenyo-Markin called for respect towards the party’s leadership and cautioned against using divisive language. “The flagbearer of the party has the confidence of the party, and I believe that he would use the structures of the party to come up with certain decisions that he has for us.”
He urged members to refrain from denigrating themselves or others within the party, stating, “So, let us wait and at least respect the leadership of the party. We should not go out of our way to denigrate ourselves or describe ourselves in a manner that will be unacceptable.”
Afenyo-Markin’s remarks appear to respond to recent comments by MP Andy Appiah-Kubi, who expressed his preference against Energy Minister Dr. Opoku Prempeh as Dr. Bawumia’s running mate, citing concerns about the qualities he seeks in an NPP flagbearer’s running mate.
