2 weeks Ago By Ghana News
Statesman Nana Ato Dadzie has opened up about the altercation he had with Minority Leader Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin when he represented his client, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, who appeared before the Appointments Committee of Parliament after being summoned for derogatory comments against the committee. Speaking during a panel discussion on JoyNews on February 1, 2025, Ato Dadzie, a former Chief of Staff, indicated that he was needlessly attacked by Afenyo-Markin when he tried to seek clarification while representing his client at the committee sitting on January 29, 2025. He added that, to make matters worse, the Minority Leader went on TV and described him as a bully while commenting on the incident that transpired at the sitting.
He indicated that he was shocked by Afenyo-Markin’s reference to him as a bully, adding that the Minority Leader’s statement had infuriated his children. “Unfortunately, when I attempted to understand what was happening, I had a punch in the face that I was saying that I was 50 years at the bar and my law was probably weak and whatnot. “Afenyo-Markin, honourable, went back two hours later to, was it, Citi FM and explained why he was harsh at me.
It’s amazing (sic); my children were mad because of what he said two days ago that ‘I was a bully in the House’,” he bemoaned. Nana Ato Dadzie made these remarks while reacting to violent clashes between Minority Caucus and Majority Caucus members of the Appointments Committee during the ministerial vetting session on Thursday, January 30, 2025. He indicated that he was not surprised that such an incident could occur because of what he witnessed when he represented his client at the committee sitting on Wednesday.
He said that the proceedings of the Appointments Committee were so chaotic, which is a sign of a lack of leadership on the committee. “I was in the House two days before, and I could literally predict what happened. You could see that there was chaos.
There was an absence of leadership. When I was sitting in there as counsel defending Barker-Vormawor, the members were fighting over the speaker’s microphones..
. There was a time I had to call for directions..
. there was confusion at that point in time,” he said. Background: Alexander Afenyo-Markin engaged in a verbal tussle with Nana Ato Dadzie, the counsel for social activist Oliver Barker-Vormawor, during his appearance before the committee on Wednesday, January 29, 2025.
The committee members, feeling scandalised by the comments made by Barker-Vormawor, a social activist, demanded an apology and retraction. However, Ato Dadzie, in his defence of his client, continued to emphasise that the comments were not intended to disparage the committee members. Afenyo-Markin, who is also the Minority Leader, appeared displeased with the renowned lawyer’s approach to handling the issue and angrily interrupted.
Acknowledging the venerable lawyer’s experience and knowledge and expressing his respect for him, Afenyo-Markin, in a fit of anger, questioned whether they were ready to issue the apology or not. He expressed his frustration over how the matter was being prolonged. “Counsel, with the greatest respect, as we sit here, very respected senior citizens of this country are engaging us.
We were initially divided on this matter, so please help your client. We respect you, and I’m sure he [Vormawor] knows why he chose you. You are a respected counsel.
Are you issuing an unqualified apology? If not, let’s close this matter,” he queried. The Effutu lawmaker added that Ato Dadzie’s references to his years of experience and time spent practising law were irrelevant and would not contribute to resolving the issue, insisting that an apology was necessary to bring the matter to a close. “The Speaker is of the view that we should manage this matter, and that is what we are doing, but when we give you the chance, you say you’ve spent 15 years at the bar and so on.
No, Nana Ato Dadzie, this is not an NDC or NPP matter. We want to solve it, but this is not a matter of 10 or 15 years at the bar; we are solving a problem.” After the outburst from Afenyo-Markin, Barker-Vormawor was given the platform to apologise, and he did so with an assurance that he would delete the post, which incurred the spleen of the committee members.
Later in the day, after the clash, the Minority Leader, in an interview with ChannelOne TV, said that he did not like the posture of the former Chief of Staff and that was when he went so hard at him. “I didn’t like the way Nana Ato Dadzie acted..
. I didn’t like the way the old man was trying to tell us, ‘I’m 50 years old at the bar,’ and at that point, I lost it a bit and I think I hit too hard. “This is somebody I look up to, but at that point, I felt like he wanted to bully us.
In fact, I wanted to stay out of the process, but the way I saw him bullying (sic)...
He is a courtroom practitioner, and courtroom practitioners, by their nature, are bullies,” he said. BAI/MA.
