Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has reaffirmed his commitment to serving out his full tenure as Third Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, amid mounting controversy over his continued representation in the regional legislative body.
His statement comes in response to a formal complaint lodged by Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga, who petitioned Speaker Alban Bagbin to refer Afenyo-Markin to the Privileges Committee. Ayariga alleged that Afenyo-Markin had defied a parliamentary resolution seeking to remove him from Ghana’s delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament.
The dispute reached a diplomatic flashpoint in November when the ECOWAS Parliament, convening in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, initially refused to swear in Ghana’s new delegation following Afenyo-Markin’s appearance. The impasse was only resolved after Ghana reportedly threatened to withdraw entirely from the sub-regional legislative body, restoring normalcy but leaving tensions unresolved domestically.
Speaker Bagbin has since directed the Privileges Committee to investigate the matter, urging MPs to refrain from public commentary until the committee concludes its work.
Yet in a speech on the floor of Parliament as the House adjourned for the year, Afenyo-Markin publicly challenged the legitimacy of the complaint and insisted on his right to remain in office until the end of his term in April 2028.
“May we return in the new year with renewed energy, clearer purpose and deeper commitment to serving the people who sent us here, and hoping that the honourable First Deputy Speaker will resist the temptation of hauling the Minority Leader before a so-called Privileges Committee,” he said.
“The Minority Leader will insist on his rights to serve his full term as a Third Deputy Speaker at the ECOWAS Parliament. It is our prayer that the First Deputy Speaker and his committee will resist all temptations to do that which is never done in any democracy,” he added.
Afenyo-Markin dismissed accusations of insubordination, stating that the ECOWAS Parliament had rejected the resolution seeking to remove him from Ghana’s delegation.
“The Minority Leader has not disrespected any order of this House. Indeed, the ECOWAS Parliament rejected outrightly the resolution that sought to remove the Minority Leader from his seat as an ECOWAS MP,” he said.
He further emphasised that his position as an elected deputy speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament is not a political appointment subject to domestic parliamentary interference. Drawing parallels with constitutional office holders, he noted:
“You can remove the Chief Justice, you can remove others who are political appointees, but not my bona fide right as a member of ECOWAS Parliament and Third Deputy Speaker. I shall remain until April 2028 when my tenure ends,” he insisted.
