"He Was Pushed Out": ACEPA Director Alleges Following Resignation Of Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

• The Executive Director of ACEPA, Dr Rasheed Draman, is convinced former Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu was pushed out of his position
• This follows swelling rumours of an alleged plan to oust him from his leadership position
• Meanwhile, NPP stalwart Kojo Pianim has warned the party against pushing out parliamentary leaders without consulting them

Following the sudden resignation of longstanding Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, speculations have been rife about what may have led to his decision.

Allegations of internal strife and an alleged plot to oust him from his leadership position swelled for days leading to his decision to step down.

However, commenting on the matter, the Executive Director of the African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs, Dr Rasheed Draman believes the former majority leader was pushed out.

According to him, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu’s decision comes as no surprise to him.

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“We all saw this coming. And the question is was he pushed or did he jump, and I think from the series of events and all our discussion from Monday to this point, I think he was pushed, he said.”

Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu resigns

Majority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu has tendered his resignation amidst controversy.

His decision followed rumours of a parliamentary leadership shake-up of the New Patriotic Party’s caucus, which sought to replace him with his deputy, Effutu MP Alexander Afenyo-Markin.

However, frontbench MPs of the caucus had opposed any change in their leadership.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Joseph Osei-Owusu quashed all claims of a shake-up and stated that the caucus was satisfied with the status quo.

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The Deputy General Secretary of the NPP, Haruna Mohammed, also stated that the party had no intention of executing any changes as it was concerned with maintaining a unified front in Parliament ahead of the 2024 elections.

The situation, nonetheless, created factions within the caucus, with one side supporting the maintenance of Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and the other supporting a passing of the mantle to Alexander Afenyo-Markin.

But at a meeting in the Jubilee House to resolve the impasse, the majority leader handed in his resignation.

All eyes now turn to Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the deputy majority leader to lead the NPP caucus in Parliament.

The party has indicated it will officially inform Parliament on Thursday, February 22, 2024, about the resignation of Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and appoint Effutu MP, Alexander Afenyo-Markin as the new majority leader.

Kojo Pianim warns against party-led arbitrary changes in Parliament

Meanwhile, former Chief of Staff Kojo Pianim has warned against the practice of the NPP imposing leaders on its members in Parliament.

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Speaking to JoyNews, the member of the NPP Council of Elders believed the best way out is for the party to dialogue with the MPs on such proposals.

“There must always be a consultation [with] the members of parliament because the leader you appoint is going to be a leader of those in parliament. So you just can’t go to the national executive or the national council and say we’ve appointed Mr A or Madam B to be the leader without consulting them,” he said.

Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu retiring from Parliament

Former Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, prior to his resignation from his post, had already indicated his intention to resign from Parliament.

He had been a representative for the Suame constituency for the past 30 years. He was elected to the seat in January 1997.

Source: YEN.com.gh