Deputy Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Asokwa, Hon. Patricia Appiagyei, has moved to quell growing speculation surrounding the future of Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin in the ECOWAS Parliament, insisting that no political dispute in Ghana can trigger his removal from the sub-regional legislative body.
Speaking on Okay FM on Monday, December 1, 2025, Hon. Appiagyei said recent claims suggesting that Afenyo-Markin’s leadership position in the ECOWAS Parliament could be revoked were unfounded and stemmed from misinformation about the institution’s governing rules.
According to her, ECOWAS Parliamentarians are shielded from partisan interference once duly elected, and the regulations clearly outline only four grounds for removal: loss of parliamentary status in one’s home country, appointment as a minister of state, death, or a formal declaration of incompetence by the ECOWAS Parliament itself.
“None of these conditions applies to Afenyo-Markin,” she emphasized, adding that the Minority Leader remains fully qualified and continues to perform his duties without hindrance.
Appiagyei further underscored his strong standing within the sub-regional body, noting that he was elected Deputy Speaker in 2024 and has already taken the oath for four consecutive terms — a sign of the confidence his colleagues have in his leadership.
She made it clear that political debates in Ghana’s domestic space have no bearing on his mandate at the ECOWAS level. “The only circumstance under which he will leave that office is if he personally chooses to resign,” she said.
Her remarks were intended to provide clarity amid growing public interest and to affirm the institutional stability of the ECOWAS Parliament’s leadership structure.
