Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mahamudu Bawumia, has accused the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) of using state institutions to intimidate opposition members and suppress free speech.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, May 13, Dr. Bawumia said he was alarmed by what he described as an endless assault on the rights of NPP officers, activists, and supporters since the NDC assumed office on January 7, 2025.
According to him, politically motivated arrests, prolonged detentions, and what he called unconscionable bail conditions have become common under the current administration.
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Dr. Bawumia cited the recent arrest and release of social media commentator David Essandoh over his comments on the return of persistent power outages, popularly known as “dumsor.”
He also referenced the detention of the NPP Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, describing the decision to place him in custody as “bizarre.”
“The latest of such acts of intimidation has been the arrest, detention, and subsequent release of David Essandoh for lamenting on social media about the return of dumsor, and the bizarre decision to put the NPP Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe Abronye, into custody,” he stated.
The former Vice President further alleged what he termed an ‘unholy collaboration’ between the Executive, state investigative agencies, and some elements within the judiciary to target members of the opposition.
“These actions undermine free speech and are setting Ghana’s democracy backwards,” Dr. Bawumia asserted.
He warned that public officials involved in any abuse of state power would eventually be held accountable.
“I therefore serve notice to officers of the State who are active participants in this unholy enterprise that the day of accountability will come, and the abuse of State power will be accounted for,” he said.
Dr. Bawumia urged supporters of the New Patriotic Party to remain steadfast and continue holding the government accountable despite what he described as intimidation tactics.
“We fought hard for this democracy, and as a party, we cannot surrender it to intimidation from those who possess temporary power today,” he added.
