The Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, says he faced a dilemma when the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, contested in the New Patriotic Party (NPP)’s presidential primaries.
This according to him is because the outspoken MP is a dear friend.
Mr Afenyo-Markin disclosed that initially, both he and Kennedy Agyapong were in support of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s candidacy.
However, Mr. Agyapong’s decision to contest against the Vice President created a challenging situation since he could not openly advocate for him.
In an interview with Citi TV on Monday, February 26, Mr Afenyo-Markin explained that rather than campaigning for Mr Agyapong, he chose to act as a mediator during the presidential primaries.
This he said helped to preserve their friendship and avoid creating rifts.
“It was a very difficult moment for me. You see, Ken [Agyapong] and I were all supporting Bawumia. Both of us were on Team Bawumia and then Ken out of the blue, he informed me that ‘Alex, I want to contest’. I said ‘okay’ but as it is, I’m a Freemason and a Catholic.
“I know how to respect friendship, and if you have given your word to a brother [Bawumia], you have to keep it. So I told him that our friendship would remain but it will be difficult for me to be seen to be out there doing this or that. However, I would want to play the role of resolving issues and being there.
“He understood where I was coming from.”
The Effutu MP recounted how Mr. Agyapong came to his aid by revitalizing his struggling business when no one else offered assistance.
“This is a bosom friend. At the time that I was going through crisis in Parliament, positions had been shared and nobody considered Afenyo-Markin, he called me at midnight to his house, and we talked business.
“He said ‘Alex, I want to give you capital to revive your business’. He gave me the capital to revive my business, and do I turn round to betray him, No. I can’t do that.
“Neither can I support him too, openly. No, I couldn’t have. My situation made it difficult for me to openly support him. He put us in a very difficult situation,” he said.
ALSO READ:
Focus on the wealth of experience he brings on board
SONA 2024: Come and justify what you have achieved – Ayariga..
Watch CCTV footage of how passengers escaped robbery attack on Accra-Kumasi highway