A slap that is yours, you take it quickly. This is a popular Akan adage I have literally translated.
I am not surprised about the resignation of Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu because it was long overdue.
The experienced and affable Member of Parliament for Suame constituency in the Ashanti region should have seen it coming.
Immediately after the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primaries, Mr. Mensah-Bonsu should have honourably resigned to enable the MPs who would be in the next Parliament elect new leaders.
But as usual, he wants to ‘chop the post’ till he exit Parliament in January 2025.
But NPP leadership to strengthen its base in Parliament vehemently disagreed with this position and decided to play a game.
The game was to use the media to push the Majority leader out of office since he was failing to see the writings on the wall.
AFENYO-MARKIN TO REPLACE OSEI-KYEI-MENSAH-BONSU AS MAJORITY LEADER
This story hit the Majority leadership like a bomb and close friends of Mr. Mensah-Bonsu like First deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joe Osei Owusu came out strongly to defend him.
But the plan of the party worked. It has sent shivers down the spine of those exiting Parliament but were unwilling to relinquish their leadership positions.
To calm tempers, the leadership quickly halted to decision to engage in dialogue. By which time the harm had already been caused.
The next step was for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to intervene; the last nail in the coffin.
These were all clear signs written on the wall but Mr. Mensah-Bonsu blinded by power refused to see.
After the meeting with the President, he finally resigned for Mr. Afenyo Markin to take over a Majority leader.
Many believe the Suame MP was force to step down and compensated with the position of a mere Chairman of the party’s Manifesto Committee.
For someone like Dr. Rasheed Draman, the Executive Director of the African Center for Parliamentary Affairs, the former Majority leader “was pushed out”.
As for NPP MP for Abuakwa South, Samuel Atta Akyea, he is still peeved and shocked about the resignation of Mr. Kyei Mensah-Bonsu.
In his view, it was a “submarine tactics” to remove Mr. Mensah-Bonsu in an honourable way.
But Mr. Mensah-Bonsu could have saved himself all these trouble if he has done the honourable thing rather than being forced or pushed out.
A political party seeking to retain power just 10 months to elections will not gamble with its leadership in Parliament.
As someone who is not seeking re-election, there is nothing to lose thus Mr. Mensah-Bonsu’s commitment to the cause of NPP is questionable.
I believe his place now is with the NPP campaign team to contribute his quota to the party.
Honourable Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu should have bowed out when the applause was loudest.
I rest my case!!!
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The author, Adwoa Gyasiwaa Agyeman is an Assisting Editor of Adomonline.com. She is also a global citizen who writes on socio-political issues of grave concern to Ghanaians. You can reach her at adwoa1000@yahoo.com or Linkedin Adwoa Agyeman.