Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi and Ranking Member on Parliament’s Economy and Development Committee, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has described the prosecution of a National Democratic Congress (NDC) organiser over alleged offensive comments made against the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2028 presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, as a political “gimmick” aimed at deflecting criticism against the government over free speech concerns.
Speaking on ABC In The Morning on Thursday, July 23, 2026, Oppong Nkrumah said Dr Bawumia does not support the prosecution and believes it forms part of a broader attempt by the government to create the impression that the law is being applied fairly.
“Dr. Bawumia is clear in his mind that first of all this is gimmick,” Oppong Nkrumah said.
He argued that the case was not about protecting Dr Bawumia from insults but rather an orchestrated effort to counter growing public criticism of the government’s handling of free speech issues.
“Is a gimmick of trying to prosecute a constituency or polling station officer for insults and attacks on Bawumia’s person,” the Ofoase-Ayirebi MP stated.
According to the former Information Minister, the prosecution is intended to divert attention from what the NPP considers a pattern of arrests and prosecutions targeting its communicators.
“This gimmick is part of an effort to equalize, and douse the high levels of criticism the [NDC] administration is facing for the attacks on free speech,” Oppong Nkrumah said.
Hon. Oppong Nkrumah also alleged that several NPP supporters have been arrested or prosecuted over comments critical of the government, insisting that the latest case was an attempt to balance the public narrative.
“So far about 14 NPP Communicators, including tiktokers, e.t.c, have been arrested, some have been jailed for no offences other than they have said things the [NDC] administration finds unpalatable, and there is a lot of criticism against the president and the administration, so their way of dousing it, is by staging this enterprise, where this NDC guy makes this comment, and they quickly rush him to arrest him, and put it out that they have even arrested somebody who did same to Bawumia, it is an attempt to equalize, and Dr. Bawumia won’t be part of it,” he stated.
He stressed that Dr Bawumia had deliberately distanced himself from the prosecution, saying the former Vice President did not want the case to be used as a political countermeasure.
“That’s why he says not in my name,” Oppong Nkrumah added.
The MP further maintained that the NPP’s position is rooted in the protection of democratic freedoms, arguing that citizens should be able to express their views without fear of prosecution, regardless of their political affiliation.
“But substantively, Dr. Bawumia also believes and that is the NPP’s position that Ghana’s Democracy is strengthened, when citizens including those who oppose us can speak freely without fear,” he stated.
His remarks come after Dr Bawumia publicly called for the discontinuation of the prosecution of the Agona West NDC organiser, saying he does not support criminal proceedings over comments made against him and reaffirming his commitment to protecting free expression as a cornerstone of Ghana’s democracy.
