The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has formally petitioned members of the diplomatic community over what it describes as a systematic assault on democratic freedoms and the rule of law under President John Mahama’s administration, calling on international partners to monitor and engage the government over alleged political persecution.
The petition, dated May 19, 2026 and signed by NPP General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong and Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, accused the government of deploying state institutions to intimidate political opponents, suppress dissent and criminalise criticism. It described a “growing and deeply troubling assault on democratic governance, constitutional liberties, political pluralism, and the rule of law.”
The NPP alleged that security agencies, prosecutorial authorities and elements within the judicial system were being used to target critics through arbitrary arrests, selective prosecutions and politically motivated detentions. It cited the arrest of Bono Regional Chairman Kwame Baffoe, widely known as Abronye DC, as a central example. Abronye DC was charged before Circuit Court 9 with offensive conduct conducive to breach of peace and publication of false news following comments he allegedly made about judicial matters. The party argued that criticism of public officials, including members of the judiciary, should not be treated as a criminal offence under a constitutional democracy.
The petition further alleged abuse of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the police, claiming those institutions were increasingly serving partisan interests. It also named additional opposition figures, political communicators and social media commentators it said had been subjected to arrest, intimidation or prosecution.
The NPP urged diplomats, development partners and international human rights organisations to publicly reaffirm democratic principles and engage the government over what it characterised as the misuse of criminal proceedings against opposition voices. The governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and government officials had not responded to the allegations at the time of publication.
