Following the remand of its Bono Regional Communications Officer, Abubakar Yakubu, popularly known as Baba Amando, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has expressed strong concerns over what it describes as targeted arrests of its members.
Baba Amando was remanded into police custody for two weeks by a circuit court in Accra on Monday, April 14, 2026, after a judge denied him bail.
Background to the Case
According to reports, Baba Amando was initially invited by police in Sunyani for questioning. The invitation was linked to social media posts he allegedly made, involving edited images of President John Dramani Mahama, Minister of State Felix Kwakye Ofosu, and Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George.
The images reportedly depicted the three public officials as females, prompting investigators to subject the content to forensic examination.
After honouring the invitation, Baba Amando was transported to Accra to assist with further investigations.
Court Proceedings
Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, provided details of the court proceedings. He explained that Baba Amando reported to the police as directed and later appeared before Circuit Court 9.
According to him, the police did not initially request that the accused be remanded.
“The police indicated that they were not applying to the court for Baba Amando to be remanded,” he stated.
He added that prosecutors told the court they needed more time to conduct a forensic examination of the social media posts. However, despite the prosecution’s position, the judge exercised discretion and ordered that Baba Amando be remanded for two weeks.
Afenyo-Markin criticised the decision, describing it as troubling and inconsistent with standard legal practice. He argued that the prosecution had not demonstrated any risk of interference with investigations that would justify a remand.
“The prosecutor is not asking for remand… so what are you trying to drive at?” he questioned.
The Minority Leader further expressed frustration over what he described as a worrying trend. “Our country is being reduced to something else… We are a country of Democrats,” he said.
There are also reports that former Kumasi Mayor Maxwell Kofi Jumah has had security personnel visit his residence in the Ashanti Region. Additionally, the party’s Bono East Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe Abronye, is said to have been invited by police in connection with separate matters.
The NPP insists that these actions raise concerns about freedom of expression and political tolerance in the country.
