A political scientist at the University of Ghana, Dr Asah Asante, has urged the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to allow internal criticism within its ranks, cautioning that silencing dissent threatens the party’s democratic principles.

Speaking on JoyNews on March 23  2025, Dr Asante responded to a recent directive from the NPP leadership instructing members to refrain from making public statements that could cause disaffection within the party.

He said while it is within the party’s rights to set rules for member conduct, the way those rules are applied must be fair and consistent.

“It is not surprising that such a directive came from the NPP. In any democracy, rules are set to guide conduct, and breaches are addressed. On that score, the party’s action isn’t unexpected,” Dr Asante said.

He, however, described the decision to single out Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo, as selective and unfair.

“She has been vocal for months, yet the party only acts now. Worse, others like the General Secretary, Justin Kodua publicly criticised the party’s 2024 defeat without reprimand. Why single her out?” he questioned.

Dr Asante said the party’s defeat in the 2024 general elections reflected widespread discontent, especially among grassroots supporters. He believes shutting down criticism instead of addressing concerns will only deepen existing divisions.

“Look at the 2024 defeat, the NPP lost due to grassroots disillusionment. Now, instead of listening, the leadership is threatening members. This risks further alienation. A strong party tolerates dissent, learns from it, and adapts,” he noted.

He also questioned the credibility of the party’s fact-finding committee, led by former Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye. Dr Asante pointed out that the professor’s son had contested and lost the Dome-Kwabenya seat, where Adwoa Safo is MP, raising questions about impartiality.

“The committee’s credibility hinges on impartiality. If its chairman has political baggage, it raises questions. The NPP should have appointed an independent figure to lead this review,” he said.

That said, he added that the committee’s work could still serve a purpose if its findings are transparent and based on clear evidence.

Also speaking on the programme was NPP founding member and statesman, Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, who took aim at the party’s leadership, accusing them of betraying the party’s democratic foundations.

“This leadership has no moral standing! The NPP was built on democracy—free speech is in our DNA. Adwoa Safo has every right to speak,” he said.

Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe described the party’s actions as intimidation, arguing that the constitution of the NPP grants every member the right to express their views.

“If they punish her, they’ll expose their fear of truth,” he said.

He maintained that the party’s problems go beyond individual members and stem from a culture of internal manipulation, bribery during internal elections, and a lack of principle among the current leadership.

“Until we return to selfless leadership, the party will keep losing. Ghanaians rejected us in 2024. If we don’t change, 2028 will be worse,” Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe said.

He called for the current leaders to step aside and allow the party to be rebuilt by people who still uphold the values on which the NPP was founded.