NPP alleges NDC misusing state security forces to target opposition
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has issued a condemnation of what it describes as politically motivated intimidation and harassment of its members by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, alleging the misuse of state security institutions.
In a press release issued today, the party demanded an immediate halt to these actions, labelling them a direct assault on Ghana’s democracy and the rule of law.
The NPP’s statement followed the dramatic arrest of Alfred Ababio Kumi, a party member widely known as "Adenta Kumi," by heavily armed operatives believed to be from the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB).
According to the party, six masked officers wielding AK-47 rifles forcibly detained Kumi at his residence in what the NPP characterised as a "Rambo-style" operation.
Kumi had recently petitioned President John Dramani Mahama, calling for the dissolution of a committee reviewing petitions for the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
The NPP claims his arrest was an attempt to silence dissent rather than address the concerns raised in his petition. "The state’s duty is to engage with legitimate grievances through due process, not through brute force and intimidation," the party asserted.
In a related development, the NPP also raised alarm over the alleged harassment of its Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly-known as Chairman Wontumi. Armed men reportedly stormed his residence despite prior communication with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), in which Wontumi had cited medical reasons for his unavailability until May 26. The party condemned the raid as "a blatant act of political persecution."
The NPP called on Ghanaians, civil society organisations, and democratic institutions to resist what it termed a calculated erosion of opposition rights. "These actions violate the fundamental freedoms of citizens and endanger the principles of justice and equality before the law," the statement read. "We urge all defenders of democracy to condemn this abuse of power."
