Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu steps down as Majority Leader

Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has voluntarily resigned from his role with immediate effect, a decision revealed at a crucial meeting of the majority group Wednesday evening.

The meeting, held at the Jubilee House’s banquet hall in Accra, was heavily guarded and convened by President Nana Akufo-Addo.

The gathering, attended by the majority of the group’s members, was called amidst escalating tensions within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary group. These tensions arose following reports of plans to replace Kyei Mensah-Bonsu with Alexander Afenyo-Markin, fuelling internal discord.

Kyei Mensah-Bonsu’s decision to step down marks a pivotal moment in Ghanaian parliamentary politics. It opens up the way for the party and caucus to formalize the leadership changes that were being contemplated. This move is seen as an effort to restore harmony and direction within the NPP’s parliamentary faction.

Justin Kodua, the Party General Secretary, is reportedly authorized to formally announce these changes within the next 24 hours. The announcement is expected to bring clarity to the leadership structure of the majority group and set the stage for a new phase of governance in Parliament.

This leadership change comes in the wake of the Speaker of Parliament, Alban SK Bagbin’s ruling, emphasizing the role of political parties in the selection of parliamentary leaders.

Bagbin’s statement, made under the authority to interpret the Standing Orders of Parliament, highlighted that caucus members cannot independently determine leadership positions, underscoring the integral role of party mechanisms in such decisions.

The shakeup aligns with the recent legal discussions surrounding the NPP’s leadership restructuring. The debates hinged on reconciling the NPP Constitution with the revised Standing Orders of Parliament, particularly concerning the selection of the Majority Caucus leadership.

This legal quandary spotlighted the conflict between the Standing Orders, which delegate leadership selection to the Majority Caucus, and the NPP Constitution, which empowers the National Council in such matters.