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Legal practitioner and influential New Patriotic Party (NPP) figure, Gabby Otchere-Darko, has dismissed claims that there are moves within the party to remove Alexander Afenyo-Markin as Minority Leader in Parliament.
Speaking during an interview on Asaasepa on February 3, 2026, Gabby said he was unaware of any such calls and described the reports as unfamiliar to him.
According to him, the Minority Caucus under Afenyo-Markin’s leadership has performed creditably and played a crucial role in keeping the party united over the past year.
“I haven’t heard any calls for the removal of Afenyo-Markin,” Gabby stated. “But from what I have seen, the Minority has done well. They have held the party together for the past twelve months.”
Gabby also expressed confidence in the working relationship between the Minority Leader and the NPP’s presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
He noted that he had recently seen the two together and believes the party’s leadership structure remains stable.
“I recently saw footage of him with our presidential candidate, and I am confident that, in the wisdom of the party, things will remain steady,” he added.
However, the comments come against the backdrop of public criticism from former NPP presidential hopeful, Kennedy Agyapong, who has openly called on Afenyo-Markin to step aside as Minority Leader.
According to Agyapong, there are growing internal interests within the party, particularly in the Central Region, seeking to occupy the Effutu parliamentary seat currently held by Afenyo-Markin.
Speaking on UTV in December 2025, Agyapong claimed he had personally advised the Minority Leader to relinquish the position to allow others an opportunity.
“He is financially comfortable, so he doesn’t need to cling to the position,” Agyapong said, adding that internal power struggles are behind the growing criticism of Afenyo-Markin’s leadership style.
Agyapong further alleged that some party members believe the Minority Leader’s position should be occupied by MPs from other regions, such as the Ashanti or Eastern regions.
“Some people want the position badly. I’ve told him to leave it for them. I even called him personally,” he claimed, while refusing to name those pushing for the role.
Beyond internal party figures, Afenyo-Markin has also faced criticism from outside the NPP. Solomon Owusu, a senior communicator for the Movement for Change, questioned his leadership credentials.
“If the NPP has a weak leader like Afenyo-Markin, then it’s no surprise the party keeps struggling,” Owusu remarked.
Despite the criticisms, Gabby Otchere-Darko’s comments suggest that key figures within the NPP leadership remain confident in the Minority Leader’s role and performance in Parliament.
