New Patriotic Party (NPP) Deputy Director of Communications Ernest Owusu-Bempah has escalated internal party tensions by publicly accusing Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia’s camp of orchestrating a systematic campaign to silence supporters of Kennedy Agyapong through disciplinary intimidation.
The allegations emerged following the referral of petitions against Owusu-Bempah to the party’s National Council for disciplinary action, marking the latest episode in escalating factional disputes that have plagued the NPP since losing power in December 2024.
Speaking to multiple media outlets, including 3News and Afia Pokua’s Gyaso Gyaso programme, Owusu-Bempah characterized the disciplinary proceedings as part of a “clandestine agenda” targeting anyone who publicly supports the Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP).
The controversy highlights growing internal discord within Ghana’s main opposition party as it struggles to maintain unity following its electoral defeat and prepares for future political battles. General Secretary Justin Frimpong Kodua had previously indicated in June 2025 that both Owusu-Bempah and Bono Regional Chairman Kwame Baffoe Abronye would receive final warnings over indiscipline.
Owusu-Bempah drew particular attention to selective enforcement, questioning why Abronye faced referral to the disciplinary committee only in June 2025 despite allegedly calling the national executive committee a “kangaroo” setup. He suggested this disparity demonstrated bias within the party’s disciplinary mechanisms.
The underlying tensions trace back to the NPP’s 2023 flagbearer contest, where internal divisions between Bawumia and Agyapong camps created lasting factional rifts. Kennedy Agyapong recently warned that the NPP cannot win the 2028 presidential election without unity, acknowledging persistent internal conflicts.
Owusu-Bempah’s defiant stance represents a significant escalation, with the communications official threatening to “follow that trajectory” if Bawumia’s camp continues what he terms “dirty politics,” even if it compromises party integrity. Such public declarations of internal warfare rarely occur within major political parties without broader organizational implications.
The timing proves particularly sensitive as the NPP attempts to regroup as the main opposition following President John Dramani Mahama’s return to power. Internal disciplinary battles could undermine the party’s capacity to present unified opposition to the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Party sources suggest the disciplinary action stems from Owusu-Bempah’s alleged breach of media gag orders through social media comments, though the official maintains his commentary falls within acceptable bounds of party discourse.
The controversy also raises questions about democratic dialogue within political parties, with Owusu-Bempah invoking the irony of leadership planning demonstrations against political intimidation while allegedly intimidating their own members for expressing dissenting views.
Kennedy Agyapong’s influence continues reverberating through NPP politics despite losing the 2023 flagbearer contest. Both he and supporters like Hopeson Adorye previously faced disciplinary proceedings following the Super Delegates Conference, suggesting a pattern of institutional responses to factional disagreements.
The unfolding dispute tests the NPP’s capacity for internal democracy and could influence broader party dynamics as it seeks to rebuild following electoral defeat. Whether party leadership can manage factional tensions while maintaining organizational cohesion remains uncertain.
Resolution of this controversy may establish important precedents for handling internal dissent within Ghana’s democratic framework, particularly regarding the balance between party discipline and free expression among political actors.