‘Boycott Parliament if Afenyo-Markin faces Privileges Committee’ – PNP urges Minority

The People’s National Party (PNP) has called on the Minority Caucus in Parliament to boycott proceedings if their leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, is referred to the Privileges Committee.

In a statement dated Wednesday, November 12, and signed by its Chairperson, Janet Nabla, the PNP accused the Majority Caucus of attempting to suppress the views of the Minority by pushing for Mr Afenyo-Markin’s appearance before the committee.

The statement follows a petition by Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga to Speaker Alban Bagbin, requesting that Mr Afenyo-Markin be referred to the Privileges Committee for allegedly defying a parliamentary resolution. Mr Afenyo-Markin reportedly attended an ECOWAS Parliament session in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, from September 25 to 28, 2025, despite his removal from Ghana’s delegation.

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Addressing Parliament on Tuesday, November 11, Mr Ayariga claimed that the ECOWAS Parliament initially refused to swear in Ghana’s delegation because of Mr Afenyo-Markin’s appearance, describing the conduct as a breach of parliamentary privilege that warranted disciplinary action.

Responding to the development, the PNP accused the Majority of undermining parliamentary democracy. The statement read:

The NDC Majority in Parliament has unilaterally altered long-standing parliamentary protocols that have, over the years, ensured balanced representation of both the Majority and Minority caucuses in ECOWAS delegations.

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It added:

Instead of maintaining this democratic balance, the government handpicked its preferred representatives, sidelining the Minority Leader. This is a complete departure from Ghana’s democratic norms and an affront to parliamentary fairness.

The party further urged the Minority to “boldly defend the Constitution and resist all undemocratic attempts by the NDC government”, warning that if Mr Afenyo-Markin is unfairly dragged before the Privileges Committee, a parliamentary boycott should be considered as a legitimate act of protest.

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The PNP also raised concerns about what it described as the “unfair removal” of former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo, alleging judicial interference. It called on international bodies, including the United Nations, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the African Union, and ECOWAS, to take urgent interest in what it described as Ghana’s “deteriorating” democratic environment.