NPP refers Owusu Bempah to Disciplinary Committee over Bawumia ‘wrong candidate’ comment

The main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has referred its Deputy Director of Communications, Ernest Owusu Bempah, to the party’s National Disciplinary Committee for breaching a media gag order.

In March, the party issued a directive barring all members from making public comments that could fuel internal disunity.

But according to a statement dated April 22 and signed by General Secretary Justin Frimpong Koduah, Mr. Owusu Bempah has violated the directive.

“Following the directives issued to all members of the party to cease discussions on matters that create disaffection within the party in the media, Mr. Owusu Bempah has made several comments on social media which are suspected to be in contravention of the directive issued to all NPP members (Ref: NPP/HQ/PR/2025/03/DAM),” the statement said.

“Mr. Ernest Owusu Bempah is hereby referred to the National Disciplinary Committee of the party for the necessary action,” it added.

The decision comes after Mr. Owusu Bempah claimed that the party’s defeat in the 2024 general elections was largely due to the selection of what he called the “wrong candidate.”

The NPP, which contested the elections with Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as its presidential candidate, lost by over 1.7 million votes to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama.

From 137 seats in Parliament, the NPP dropped to just 88—losing nearly 50 seats to the now-ruling NDC, which currently holds almost a two-thirds majority.

Reacting to the outcome in an interview on Kumasi-based Oyerepa TV, Mr. Owusu Bempah alleged that many party members boycotted the polls or voted for the NDC out of dissatisfaction with Dr. Bawumia’s candidacy.

“For the first time, I met a taxi driver who is an NPP member. He told me he voted for the NDC in the 2024 election. He even showed me his party card and said he couldn’t vote for the candidate we presented,” he claimed.

“Go down there with a hidden camera and ask ordinary people why they didn’t vote. 2.1 million people decided not to vote—do you think it’s a joke? NPP party base, supporters refused to vote. Do you know what that means?” he questioned.