Minority leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has protested what he describes as a gross misrepresentation of comments he made during a recent interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show.
In a formal protest letter dated Saturday, May 3, 2025, addressed to the media outlet, the outspoken Member of Parliament for Effutu condemned a headline suggesting he had endorsed the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) as a “sellable brand.”
According to him, the headline is inaccurate. It creates a false impression that he was endorsing the NDC, stating, “It strips my comments of their full context, misrepresents my intent, and unfortunately exposes me to unfair public criticism and political mischief.”
During the Friday, May 2nd interview, Afenyo-Markin addressed multiple national issues, including President Mahama’s suspension of the Chief Justice and the appointment of seven new Supreme Court nominees. Towards the end of the discussion, he was asked whether the NPP could perform better in the 2028 elections by replacing Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the flagbearer.
The legislator, in response, emphasized the importance of political branding over individual candidacy and used examples from Effutu and Keta to support his analysis.
“I referenced constituencies like Keta, where political loyalty often trumps individual merit. The point was not to praise the NDC, but to underscore the role of party perception in shaping electoral outcomes,” he explained in his protest letter.
According to him, though the misleading headline was subsequently changed the damage had already been done
“Numerous media outlets have now picked it up and are circulating it widely, further entrenching the false narrative,” he lamented.
The Minority leader demanded three immediate actions from Joy FM: A full retraction of the misleading headline across all platforms; a corrected and contextualized version of his remarks published with equal prominence; and an official written apology from the editorial or production team responsible.
He also issued a broader reminder to the media about its power and responsibility in shaping public discourse:
“The media wields enormous influence in shaping public opinion. With that comes the duty to report fairly, accurately, and responsibly, especially when dealing with matters as sensitive as political commentary.”
As of the time of publication, Joy FM has yet to publicly respond to the demands. The situation continues to draw attention on social media, where many political watchers and party supporters have joined the conversation.
