Parliamentary proceedings on January 8 took a dramatic turn when Speaker Alban Bagbin referred to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament as a "micro-minority."

The description, made during a debate, sparked an immediate protest from the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who described the term as unbefitting of parliamentary discourse.

Parliamentary proceedings: NPP MPs angry as Speaker Bagbin labels them 'Micro Minority' #JoyNews pic.twitter.com/CGm3RSdfLG

— JoyNews (@JoyNewsOnTV) January 8, 2025

The Minority side rose in agitation filling the floor with chants against the Speaker's choice of words.

Mr Afenyo-Markin argued that it undermined the dignity of the NPP caucus.

"The Minority Caucus hereby protest the description given to us by the Speaker," he said.

The Speaker admitted that Mr Afenyo-Markin was right in his argument.

But Mr. Bagbin was quick to point out that the Effutu MP had previously used the term in that context.

Why Micro-Minority?

The word was first heard from the Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia on December 13, 2024, when he responded to comments by the then-Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, on democracy.

• Read also: You can’t lecture us on democracy – Asiedu Nketia tells “Micro-Minority” leader Afenyo-Markin

At a press conference earlier that day, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, called on the NDC leadership to immediately rein in their supporters suspected to be causing chaos in collation centres, stating that their actions were detrimental to democracy.

Addressing the media, Mr Asiedu Nketia criticised the MP, following reports of the invasion of state institutions and, in some instances, the looting of state assets allegedly carried out by young supporters of the incoming NDC administration.

“I heard my junior brother Afenyo-Markin, who, having rejected the position of Minority Leader, is now on his way to becoming a micro Minority Leader. He is bragging that he belongs to a party of the rule of law and all that,” he said.

• Read also: I’ll never sit in the Minority Leader’s seat; it isn’t good spiritually – Afenyo-Markin

This occurred weeks after the NPP Parliamentary Leader expressed displeasure at being referred to as the "Minority Leader" following the decision by some legislators to run as independents ahead of the 2024 elections.

On November 11, 2024, Mr Afenyo-Markin also said he would never sit in the seat of the Minority Leader due to what he describes as spiritual reasons.