Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has firmly stated that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will not permit Members of Parliament from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to create chaos or disrupt the peace in Ghana.
Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, October 22, Afenyo-Markin explained that the NPP’s decision to retreat from the Parliamentary Chamber earlier that day was a strategic move to avoid confrontation after a dispute over who should occupy the Majority side of the Chamber.
The standoff began when NDC MPs took over the seats typically reserved for the Majority, following Speaker Alban Bagbin’s ruling on October 17 that declared four parliamentary seats vacant. The NPP had contested this decision in the Supreme Court, which subsequently granted a stay of execution.
Afenyo-Markin accused the NDC of trying to provoke the NPP into a physical confrontation in order to destabilize the nation’s peace.
“We won’t give them [NDC] the opportunity to be lawless or disturb the peace of Ghana. Our decision to retreat was to prevent any form of chaos that they were trying to incite,” Afenyo-Markin stated.
He stressed that the NPP would remain law-abiding, waiting for further guidance from Speaker Bagbin before making any additional moves.
“The NPP is rooted in a peaceful tradition. We will not provide the NDC with a platform for lawlessness. We respect that innocent Ghanaians are going about their lives, and we will conduct politics in a civil manner,” he added.
Afenyo-Markin reaffirmed that the NPP is committed to preserving peace in Ghana and would not allow any group to disrupt the nation’s stability.
