Accra: The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Frimpong Kodua, has strongly criticised the arrest of Abubakar Yakubu, known as Baba Amando, describing it as an attempt to silence members of the opposition.
According to Ghana Web, Kodua, speaking on Asempa FM's Ekosii Sen programme, questioned the basis of the arrest, insisting that there was nothing unlawful about the social media post that reportedly triggered the action. He expressed concerns over what he termed as 'Rambo-style' arrests, asserting that some individuals were unaware of the reasons behind their detentions. Kodua emphasized the importance of democratic principles and warned against using state institutions to intimidate NPP members.
Kodua further accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government of clamping down on dissenting voices through state institutions, which he argued undermines democratic principles. He highlighted the need for any government to be open to criticism and underscored that political opposition and freedom of expression are fundamental components of a functioning democracy.
In his remarks, Kodua cautioned those in power to remember the transient nature of authority and urged them to uphold the rule of law. He affirmed the NPP's commitment to discussing these issues publicly and criticized the NDC for behaving as if they are the only party to have ever held power. Kodua vowed that the NPP would continue to speak out against what he described as the NDC's manoeuvres.