Tensions between the governing National Democratic Congress and the opposition New Patriotic Party continue to escalate following a series of arrests and detentions involving key NPP activists and officials, with party flagbearer Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia warning that the opposition will not be silenced by what he describes as political intimidation and abuse of state power.
Speaking during an engagement with student leaders ahead of an NPP youth bootcamp, Dr. Bawumia struck a defiant tone, declaring that no amount of arrests or state pressure would stop the opposition from criticizing the government and presenting its case to the Ghanaian people.
“You can arrest all of us. We will come back and make our case to the people of Ghana,” Dr. Bawumia stated, drawing applause from party supporters and youth activists present at the meeting.
The former Vice President accused the NDC administration of orchestrating an “endless assault” on the rights and freedoms of NPP officers, communicators, activists, and supporters since assuming office on January 7, 2025.
According to him, recent developments involving the detention and prosecution of opposition figures point to a growing pattern of intimidation aimed at suppressing dissenting voices and weakening political opposition ahead of future elections.
His comments follow a string of controversial arrests involving some high-profile NPP members, including Bono Regional Chairman Kwame Baffoe Abronye, popularly known as Abronye DC, Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, and Agona West NPP Constituency Organizer David Essandoh, popularly called “Sam Toys.”
The arrest of David Essandoh particularly triggered outrage within the opposition party after he was reportedly picked up by security operatives over a viral social media post concerning the return of power outages, popularly referred to as dumsor, and comments involving the President.
Just at the NPP is lamenting about the incessant arrests, report filtered in that another party social media activist, Nana Addo Nyame was invited by the Accra Regional police command.
The NPP leadership subsequently stormed the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters in Accra demanding explanations over his detention, accusing security agencies of harassment and political intimidation.
Leading the protest at the CID headquarters was NPP General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong, accompanied by National Organizer Henry Nana Boakye, popularly called Nana B, and several senior party officials.
Party leaders claimed Essandoh was picked up from his residence by armed operatives at night and held for hours without access to legal representation or formal charges.
Addressing the media during the standoff, Justin Kodua warned that the opposition would resist any attempt to criminalize criticism of government policies and actions.
“If speaking against the government has become a crime, then they will have to arrest all of us,” he declared.
The General Secretary accused the NDC government of using state institutions, including the police and investigative agencies, as political tools to intimidate opposition voices and create fear among critics of the administration.
The NPP has also alleged selective justice and political bias within some sections of the security and judicial systems, arguing that opposition members are increasingly being targeted over comments and political activities.
Dr. Bawumia, in his latest intervention, warned officers of the state involved in what he termed abuse of authority that they would eventually be held accountable for their actions.
“We will not be cowed, silenced or discouraged by intimidation,” the NPP flagbearer stressed.
He maintained that while no one is above the law, arbitrary arrests, prolonged detentions, and excessive bail conditions undermine constitutional freedoms and weaken the democratic credentials.
The NPP’s concerns come against the backdrop of growing internal mobilization by the party following Dr. Bawumia’s election as presidential candidate on January 31, 2026, where he secured 56.48 percent of the valid votes cast in the party’s primaries.
Since his victory, Dr. Bawumia has embarked on efforts to reorganize and energize the opposition party ahead of the 2028 general elections.
He has consistently called for party unity while also intensifying criticism of the Mahama-led administration over issues including power outages, economic hardship, cocoa pricing, and what the NPP describes as deteriorating democratic governance.
The latest confrontation between the two major political parties has further heightened the already charged political atmosphere, with the NDC defending the arrests as lawful law enforcement actions while the NPP insists the moves are politically motivated attempts to suppress free speech and opposition activism.
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