Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has defended the opposition’s call for what he describes as fairness in the application of justice, insisting that the NPP is not against accountability but opposed to selective justice.
Speaking at the NPP’s “Democracy Under Attack” demonstration on Thursday, August 6, Hon Afenyo-Markin questioned the decision to invite Members of Parliament to be questioned by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) after they make contributions on the floor of Parliament.
“We are not against accountability, but we are against selective justice,” Hon Afenyo-Markin said.
He argued that MPs must be allowed to express their views on government policies and national issues without such comments automatically becoming grounds for investigations.
Hon Afenyo-Markin cited concerns raised by some members of the governing NDC, including Majority Leader Haruna Iddrisu and Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak, regarding conditions surrounding the UNRWA Bill, stressing that concerns over government policies should not be treated differently depending on who raises them.
“An MP makes a contribution on the floor and the next moment is invited by EOCO,” he said.
He called for an end to what he described as Ghana’s recurring cycle of political retaliation, where actions taken against political opponents in government could later be repeated when power changes hands.
“As a country, we must end this vicious cycle of ‘you do me, I do you,’” he stated.
According to the Minority Leader, his position is not based on the fact that members of his party are currently facing such situations, but rather on his belief that political disagreements should be handled with decency.
“All my life, I’ve believed that we can do politics in a very decent way. I believe in that decent approach in politics.”
He also urged political leaders to shift their attention to the broader development challenges facing Ghana, particularly in communities outside Accra.
“If you leave Accra and go deep into the hinterlands, you see the serious underdevelopment in our country. That should be what should occupy our minds as political leaders.”
Hon Afenyo-Markin further warned that continued political tension could make it difficult for moderates within the NPP to restrain hard-line elements when the party eventually returns to power.
He questioned whether Ghanaians truly wanted the country to continue along that path.
“But is that what we want as a country? No, that’s not what we want.”
