By Collins Sarkodieh 
National Democratic Congress (NDC) communicator and lawyer Abass Nurudeen has challenged New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia over his comments regarding the arrest of Bono Regional Chairman Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC. Nurudeen argues that Bawumia is applying a blatant double standard by defending a party member whose actions mirror those of an opposition broadcaster who was jailed under the NPP administration for similar offenses.
The political friction intensified following a public statement issued by Bawumia on May 13, 2026, where he characterized Abronye’s recent two-week remand as evidence of “Democracy and Free Speech Under Siege.” Abronye DC was apprehended and detained for allegedly threatening a Circuit Court judge and publicly accusing police officers of political bias. Bawumia’s statement alleged an unholy collaboration between the executive branch, state investigative bodies, and elements within the judiciary to suppress free speech.
Speaking on Asempa FM, Lawyer Nurudeen countered this narrative by pointing directly to the 2021 conviction of Oheneba Boamah, a broadcaster with TV XYZ. Boamah was sentenced to three weeks in prison for scandalizing the court after making public allegations against Supreme Court justices following the 2020 election petition ruling. Nurudeen noted that Bawumia was serving actively as Vice President during that judgment and raised no public objections, highlighting a selective approach to institutional accountability.
Why is Bawumia being accused of double standards on free speech?
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia faces accusations of double standards because he is fiercely defending an NPP regional chairman for actions that match the exact category of offense his own government prosecuted an opposition broadcaster for in 2021. Lawyer Abass Nurudeen argues that the only variable that has changed between the two cases is the political affiliation of the individual sitting in the dock.
When TV XYZ broadcaster Oheneba Boamah publicly attacked Supreme Court justices, the state moved swiftly to secure a conviction for contempt and scandalizing the court. At that time, the executive branch, including Bawumia, implicitly accepted the judicial standard that threatening or undermining the integrity of judges crossed the line of free speech. However, with Abronye DC facing similar charges for threatening a Circuit Court judge, the flagbearer has pivoted to calling the arrest a political clampdown.
This shift in stance raises significant questions about how a future Bawumia administration would handle institutional accountability. Nurudeen questions whether a future government would treat NPP members who attack state institutions with leniency while enforcing strict legal penalties against political opponents. The core of the argument is that true democratic leadership requires holding all citizens to consistent legal standards, regardless of party cards.
What internal fractures are currently threatening the NPP?
The NPP is currently dealing with deep structural fractures caused by allegations of exclusion, where party members who backed rival candidates during internal contests feel systematically shut out of party structures. Nurudeen claims that individuals who supported Bawumia’s flagbearership bid are benefiting from an internal arrangement that favors them by default, leaving the losing factions marginalized.
These internal tensions have occasionally escalated into physical confrontations, such as the reported violence at polling station elections in Tepa, where two people were allegedly stabbed. Critics view this violence as a foreseeable consequence of unresolved exclusion within the party’s ranks. Rather than directing all his energy toward external political battles, opponents argue that Bawumia must first address these internal wounds to ensure party cohesion.
A failure to build a genuinely inclusive party structure could carry a long-term electoral cost for the NPP ahead of the upcoming election cycle. Political analysts point out that a ruling party that struggles to manage its internal disputes or enforce consistent standards hands its opponents a ready-made argument at every turn. Reconciling aggrieved members is therefore a matter of urgent strategic survival.
Also Read: The Abronye DC Detention: Political Intimidation or Judicial Accountability?
Factual Insights into Ghana’s Legal and Political Precedents:
- The Jailing Landmark: Broadcaster Oheneba Boamah of TV XYZ was sentenced to three weeks in prison in February 2021 for scandalizing the judiciary.
- The Abronye Remand: NPP Bono Regional Chairman Kwame Baffoe (Abronye DC) was remanded for a two-week period over alleged threats against a Circuit Court judge.
- Bawumia’s Statement: The official press release by the NPP flagbearer defending Abronye was issued on May 13, 2026.
- The Legal Term: “Scandalizing the court” remains an indictable offense under Ghanaian common law to protect judicial independence.
- Internal Conflict: Polling station executive elections in Tepa recorded severe violence, including the stabbing of two individuals.
- The Essandoh Case: Bawumia’s May 13 statement also cited the arrest of social media commentator David Essandoh over posts concerning power outages.
The Ultimate Test for Institutional Credibility
The clash over the Abronye DC arrest places Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in a difficult political position by forcing him to defend a record that appears contradictory. By highlighting the contrast between the 2021 jailing of Oheneba Boamah and the current defense of a regional chairman, Lawyer Abass Nurudeen has successfully shifted the debate onto the ground of institutional consistency.
As Ghana approaches its next major election cycle, voters are paying close attention to how potential leaders balance party loyalty with the rule of law. For the NPP, solving internal fractures and maintaining a uniform stance on judicial respect will be critical to convincing the electorate that they can govern fairly. In the court of public opinion, consistency remains the highest currency.
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