Deputy General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mustapha Gbande, has taken a strong stance against Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin following a confrontation between the MP and a police officer during the #SaveTheJudiciary protest on Monday, May 5, 2025.
Gbande, who also serves as Deputy Director of Operations at the Presidency, accused the Effutu MP of physically assaulting a police officer without justification and demanded an unreserved apology from both him and the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
“Afenyo-Markin, who is the leader of the Minority and in whom the NPP pins its hopes, slapped a police officer. The NPP and Afenyo-Markin should bow their heads in shame,” he said during an interview on Accra-based Adom FM.
He pointed out what he believes to be a double standard, noting that in previous protests, MPs from other parties were blocked from demonstrating, yet Monday’s protest went ahead with relatively less resistance.
The incident at the centre of the controversy was captured in a viral video widely shared on social media. In the footage, Afenyo-Markin is seen in a heated exchange and appears to make physical contact with a police officer stationed behind a barricade.
In a statement issued shortly after the video circulated, the Minority Leader defended his actions, claiming he had been provoked by a police officer identified as Constable Forson. According to Afenyo-Markin, the officer struck him forcefully in the chest as he approached the barricade to deliver a petition.
He explained that the blow landed near his heart and caused visible distress. “Senior police officers and some colleagues quickly intervened, calmed me down, and gave me water to help me regain composure before proceeding with the petition submission,” he noted in the statement.
The Ghana Police Service has since invited Mr Afenyo-Markin to assist with investigations into the incident. In a parallel move, the Effutu MP has lodged a formal complaint and petitioned the Inspector General of Police, urging disciplinary action against the officer involved.
As public discourse around the incident intensifies, both parties remain firm in their positions. While Gbande and the NDC demand accountability from the MP and his party, Afenyo-Markin insists he was reacting to unjust treatment at the hands of law enforcement.
