The front bench of the Majority in Parliament from Friday, February 23, 2024, now has new faces following the resignation of Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu as the Majority Leader on Wednesday evening.
His resignation, which many have described as surprising, ill-timed and too sudden, has seen the appointment of his former lieutenant, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, as the new leader of the Majority in parliament.
Patricia Appiagyei, the Member of Parliament for Asokwa, will also deputise him.
And while many think that Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu left too abruptly, it is worth referencing the issues that led to his decision, as well as what he said before his resignation.
According to earlier reports, his decision is said to have been communicated to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during a meeting with the membership of the Majority and leaders of the NPP at Jubilee House on February 21 to discuss the way forward of the party.
According to a JoyNews report citing insider sources, the meeting with the president was expected to last for a number of hours, considering the position of members of the Majority caucus against what they describe as an attempt by the party’s leadership to impose a new set of leaders on them.
However, the Majority Leader, citing the need for new hands in leading the caucus as well as the rancour that the issue has attracted, made his decision to step down known to the president right from the onset of the meeting.
The announcement by Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who is leaving parliament after almost three decades, brought to an end what was expected to be an extensive meeting.
But what exactly did the former Majority Leader say?
According to a GNA report, the following are the words of the former leader, who is also the sitting MP for Suame:
“At this stage, I would want to inform Mr President, the members of leadership, herein present, the leadership of the party, and all others that I voluntarily declare my intent to step down as the Majority Leader before you, my colleagues here, and now, in order to afford the caucus the opportunity to choose their leader.
“I have served the party diligently ever since I entered parliament on the same day, January 7, 1997, with the president. I believe I have served the party very well to the best of my ability, and I have no regrets.
“There is a difficult battle ahead of us, to which enterprise all of us must commit ourselves.
“I do not want to be the eye of the storm. Nothing should be done that would precipitate cataclysmic consequences. That is why I am stressing peace and unity.
“I thank you, Mr President, for the opportunity afforded. Thank you all once again.”
Meanwhile, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has been appointed as chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Manifesto Committee ahead of the 2024 general elections.
The committee, constituted by the flagbearer of the NPP, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, which has been tasked to write the party’s manifesto for the 2024 general elections, will have the various sector ministers serving as advisors to the committee
ghanaweb.com
