During the conclusion of the Parliamentary debate on the State of the Nation Address (SONA), the Majority Leader, Mr Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, faced backlash from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority over his remarks regarding Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, the running mate of the NDC's flagbearer.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin criticized the selection of Prof. Opoku-Agyemang as the running mate, claiming that she is over 70 years old and implying that the decision lacked foresight and a succession plan. He further suggested that her age and alleged performance issues during her time as Minister of Education could lead to a crisis in government.
These comments sparked strong protests from the NDC Minority, leading to heckling and table-banging in the chamber. Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, the Deputy Minority Whip and MP for Banda demanded a retraction of the remarks and an apology from the Majority Leader to Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, who was not present in the House to respond.
Amidst the uproar, the Second Deputy Speaker, Mr. Andrew Amoako Asiamah, suspended sitting for one hour. Upon resumption, Mr. Afenyo-Markin concluded his remarks on the SONA.
The incident highlighted tensions between the Majority and Minority sides of Parliament, with accusations of disrespect and inappropriate remarks.
