National Chairman of the newly formed United Party, Abubakar Saddique Boniface, has declared he would welcome a legal challenge from the New Patriotic Party over his party’s adoption of the United Party name, dismissing any claims of exclusive ownership.
Speaking on TV3’s Hot Issues on Sunday, October 19, 2025, Boniface argued that the NPP cannot monopolize the name simply because of its historical association with the defunct United Party of the late 1950s. He drew a striking comparison to illustrate his point, saying the situation resembles how multiple people can share common names without disputes.
“In fact, I will be happy if they take it to court so they can tell me that as a Muslim, I can’t name my child Mohammed,” he said. “The fact that I name my child Mohammed doesn’t mean he’s a prophet. Everyone names their child Mohammed, but no one claims ownership of the name.”
Alan Kyerematen officially launched the United Party on Thursday, October 16, 2025, at Accra’s Coconut Grove Hotel, describing it as a new era and a people’s movement to unite the nation beyond partisan divides. The party received its provisional certificate from the Electoral Commission on October 3, 2025.
The NPP has reportedly threatened legal action to prevent Kyerematen from using the United Party name. Dr Tia Mahama Kabiru, the Member of Parliament for Walewale, hinted at this possibility in an interview with GHone TV, stating that the party believes the name could be misleading and potentially damaging to the NPP’s brand.
The NPP, founded on July 28, 1992, traces its roots back to the Danquah-Busia-Dombo political tradition. Following Ghana’s independence in 1957, various opposition parties merged to form the United Party, a key predecessor to the modern NPP.
However, Boniface’s confidence stems from his belief that political party names, like personal names, cannot be exclusively owned. His Mohammed analogy underscores the argument that historical usage doesn’t translate to legal ownership, particularly when the original United Party ceased operations decades ago.
The United Party’s emergence represents a significant shake-up in Ghana’s political landscape, with the party positioning itself as a credible alternative to the traditional NPP and National Democratic Congress duopoly. Boniface, a former Member of Parliament for Madina on the ticket of the NPP, was announced as the inaugural chairman. He previously served as Minister of State at the Office of former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
The party has adopted the monarch butterfly as its emblem, symbolizing transformation and resilience, while its colors of yellow, black, and white represent Ghana’s gold wealth, the Black Star of Africa, and purity of purpose.
Boniface and several other United Party officials were expelled from the NPP in 2023 for supporting Kyerematen’s independent presidential bid instead of the party’s chosen candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia. When the NPP recently offered amnesty to expelled members, Boniface dismissed it as “morally unjustified,” arguing that no wrongdoing had occurred to warrant forgiveness.
“They sacked us from the NPP, and now they want to offer amnesty? What crime did our leader commit? What crime did I commit? And now you are telling me you are giving me amnesty? No way,” Boniface said, likening the split to a final divorce.
The party has launched with ambitious promises, including Alan Kyerematen’s Vision 2040, also known as the Paradise Project, which aims to transform Ghana into an economic powerhouse in Africa within fifteen years through industrialization, private sector growth, youth employment, debt reduction, and good governance.
Whether the NPP will follow through with legal action remains unclear, but Boniface’s public challenge suggests the United Party is prepared for a courtroom battle over the name that both parties claim historical ties to.