The Minister for Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George has expressed unwavering confidence in his approval, even if subjected to a secret ballot.

This follows the Minority Caucus, led by Alexander Afenyo-Markin, which approved four nominees but opposed Mr George’s appointment as Communications Minister-designate due to his past criticism of former President Akufo-Addo and Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.

The Majority Caucus rejected this reasoning, arguing his nomination was justified. Despite initially insisting on a secret ballot, the Minority abstained from voting, allowing the Majority to decide his fate.

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The Second Deputy Speaker subsequently confirmed the appointments through a voice vote.

In an interview on JoyNews' Newsfile on Saturday, February 8, Mr George revealed that during discussions, he challenged Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin to proceed with a secret ballot, asserting that a significant portion of the Minority caucus would have supported his nomination.

According to him, out of the 88 Minority members, 49 were prepared to vote in his favour, a fact he claims Afenyo-Markin was well aware of.

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This internal dissent, Mr George suggests, led to Afenyo-Markin's decision to abstain from the voting process.

"I was 100 percent sure that I would not lose the vote and Afenyo-Markin himself knows and I dared them to take me to a vote [secret ballot]. Of his 88 members, 44 of them would have voted for me and that is why Afenyo-Markin after calling for the vote chose to abstain. He knew they didn’t have his back.

"His members told him to his face in my presence, that if he took me to a vote, 49 of his 88 members would have voted against this position because they didn't see the wisdom in the position that was being taken," he stressed.

The Ningo Prampram MP said he observed that Mr Afenyo-Markin had attempted to rally his members, but many chose to walk out, leaving fewer than 20 of the 88 members present. This, according to George, indicated a significant break in ranks within the caucus.

Reflecting on the events that transpired during his vetting, Mr George expressed a sense of betrayal, stating, "If you have people who call you brother and friend like Mr Afenyo-Markin used to, and this is the kind of friendship and brotherhood, then you don't need enemies."