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Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has chosen to resign from his position with immediate effect, a decision disclosed during a crucial meeting of the majority group on Wednesday evening.
The meeting, held at the Jubilee House’s banquet hall in Accra and presided over by President Nana Akufo-Addo, was surrounded by heightened security and convened to address escalating tensions within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary group. Reports of plans to replace Kyei Mensah-Bonsu with Alexander Afenyo-Markin had fueled internal discord, prompting this gathering of the majority group members.
Kyei Mensah-Bonsu’s voluntary resignation is viewed as a significant development in Ghanaian parliamentary politics, providing an opportunity for the party and caucus to formalize contemplated leadership changes. This move is aimed at restoring harmony and direction within the NPP’s parliamentary faction. Party General Secretary Justin Kodua is reportedly authorized to officially announce these changes within the next 24 hours, bringing clarity to the majority group’s leadership structure and paving the way for a new phase of governance in Parliament.
This leadership shift follows Speaker of Parliament Alban SK Bagbin’s recent ruling, underscoring the role of political parties in selecting parliamentary leaders. Bagbin, empowered to interpret the Standing Orders of Parliament, emphasized that caucus members cannot independently determine leadership positions, highlighting the crucial role of party mechanisms in such decisions.
The shakeup aligns with ongoing legal discussions surrounding the NPP’s leadership restructuring, focusing on reconciling the NPP Constitution with the revised Standing Orders of Parliament. The legal debates center on the conflict between the Standing Orders, which delegate leadership selection to the Majority Caucus, and the NPP Constitution, which vests such powers in the National Council.
Source: Omanghana.com
