Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga Petitions Speaker Bagbin to Sanction Minority Leader Afenyo-Markin for Contempt of Parliament
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin - Photo credit Ghana Parliament
Accra, Ghana – Ghana’s Parliament witnessed heightened tensions on Tuesday after Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga formally petitioned Speaker Alban Bagbin to sanction Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin for alleged contempt and breach of parliamentary privilege.
Mr. Ayariga accused the Minority Leader of defying a parliamentary resolution that removed his name from Ghana’s delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, yet still attending a recent sitting of the sub-regional legislative body in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, in September 2025.
“Mr. Speaker, the Honorable Afenyo-Markin attended the session of the ECOWAS Parliament in clear defiance of a resolution of this Parliament,” Ayariga said on the floor of the House. “That act constitutes an affront to the dignity and authority of Parliament.”
According to the Majority Leader, Parliament passed a resolution on July 22, 2025, reconstituting Ghana’s delegation to the ECOWAS Community Parliament and removing Afenyo-Markin’s name from the list.
Despite that decision, Ayariga said, when Ghana’s official delegation arrived for the ECOWAS sitting in Port Harcourt between September 25 and 28, 2025, they found Afenyo-Markin present and participating in proceedings.
“Our delegation was refused swearing-in by the ECOWAS Parliament because of the confusion over Ghana’s representation,” Ayariga explained. “It took my personal intervention and a strong warning to the ECOWAS Speaker before our official delegation was finally sworn in.”
He described Afenyo-Markin’s action as a “deliberate affront to Parliament’s authority”, citing Order 31(0) of the Standing Orders of Parliament, which defines contempt as any act that “affronts the dignity or authority of Parliament or produces any such effect.”
“It is time that the Honorable Afenyo-Markin be put in his proper place,” Ayariga declared. “I therefore rise to make a complaint of contempt of Parliament and urge you, Mr. Speaker, to refer the matter to the Privileges Committee for the appropriate sanctions.”
Responding to the petition, Speaker Alban Bagbin acknowledged receipt of the formal complaint and assured the House that he would review the matter and deliver a ruling tomorrow, Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
“Honourable Members, you have heard the complaint of contempt being laid before us. The rules are clear,” Bagbin said. “I will take the whole of today to consider the complaint, and tomorrow I will communicate my decision to the House.”
The Speaker emphasized that his decision would determine whether or not the issue should be referred to Parliament’s Privileges Committee for further action.
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