Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has dismissed claims that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is an Akan party, cautioning party faithful, particularly students, against tribal and religious prejudice.
Speaking during a meeting with members of the Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON) on Wednesday, March 25, Mr. Afenyo-Markin argued that his own rise within the party contradicts the assertion that the NPP is exclusively Akan.
“From Volta, my dad is an alumnus. My mom is an Efutu woman from the Central Region. And by the way, in the last elections, the Central Region, we only had four seats,” he said.
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He questioned the logic behind branding the party as ethnically skewed, pointing to the internal dynamics that led to his current position as minority leader.
“If we are looking at a majoritarian system, where you say that NPP is an Akan party, why would I be the minority leader? It means that the leader should come from Ashanti or Eastern. But that is not the case,” he stated.
Mr Afenyo-Markin emphasised that leadership within the party is determined through internal consensus rather than ethnic considerations, noting that debates are part of the process but unity ultimately prevails.
“It’s the reason why when my colleagues were speaking and advising you, they talked about hard work. Amongst us, you realise that the party colleagues will say, “Let’s give it to this person. There will be a small debate. It’s normal. But eventually, we will settle on one,” he explained.
He urged TESCON members to remain focused on merit and the party’s core values, rather than being influenced by divisive narratives.
“I will plead with all of you. Don’t allow tribal bigotry, or tribalism, to sway your thoughts,” he cautioned.
The minority leader further warned against the politicisation of religion, stressing that one’s faith does not determine leadership within the party.
“Don’t allow anybody to use religion to come and tell you that you are a Hindu, you are an Eckankar, you are a traditional believer, or you are a Muslim,” he said.
Encouraging the students to deepen their understanding of the party’s philosophy, he added, “You are growing up. This is a party you have chosen for yourselves. Know the values of the party. What do we stand for? Our party, when they say the traditional NPP, what do we stand for?”