Politics of Tuesday, 4 February 2025
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
Ghana’s former Ambassador to the Netherlands and a leading member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Tony Aidoo, believes the Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, is suffering from a severe case of cognitive dissonance due to inconsistencies in his behavior.
Speaking in an interview with Joy FM on Tuesday, January 4, 2025, he expressed worry over the growing culture of monetisation in politics, arguing that it is sending all kinds of characters to Parliament.
“He (Afenyo-Markin) is having a very tough case of cognitive dissonance. I don’t think he has realised that his party is in the minority. His language is very, very boisterous. Incredibly enough, he will be the first to say, ‘I’m a gentleman, I’m reasonable,’ and that kind of thing. And yet, his behaviour doesn’t correspond to that rhetoric.
“Like Afenyo-Markin targeting the clerk of his committee, saying all kinds of things which the poor lady doesn’t have a chance to respond to on the floor, or in the debate at the Appointments Committee, that is not the expected behavior of a parliamentarian. You can’t do that,” he noted.
He also criticised the Minority in Parliament, arguing that their political discourse lacks decorum.
“It’s very characteristic of NPP politicians to be boisterous when they argue the political language, and their behaviour doesn’t show an honorable behaviour orientation. Most of the arguments tend to be shared sophistry. And when it’s not shared sophistry, it becomes what sociologists call petitio principii, that is, dodging the question and interposing lies as an answer,” he noted.
Despite his criticisms, he acknowledged some cooperation between the two parties, stating, “As far as this vetting is concerned, I think the NPP has cooperated with the NDC in many ways, like helping President John Dramani Mahama to get his team ready within the time frame given in the party’s manifesto.”
This comes on the heels of heightened tensions within Parliament during the vetting of a ministerial nominee.
Bernard Ahiafor, Chairman of Parliament’s Appointments Committee, has demanded that Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the Minority Leader, issues an unqualified apology to Clerk of Parliament, Gifty Jiagge Gobah.
This follows Afenyo-Markin’s accusations that the Clerk is partisan.
Ahiafor warned that failure to apologise could lead to Afenyo-Markin being referred to Parliament‘s Privileges Committee for further action.
The allegations have sparked tensions within the legislative body, as members stress the importance of maintaining the neutrality of parliamentary officers.
Afenyo-Markin, who is also the Member of Parliament of Effutu, has faced mounting criticisms over his confrontational approach during the vetting of President John Dramani Mahama’s ministerial nominees.
His repeated allegations against the clerk and his aggressive rhetoric have intensified scrutiny of his leadership style within the Minority.
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