Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mustapha Gbande, has criticised Presidential Staffer Nana Yaa Jantuah for accepting a petition submitted by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) during its “Democracy Under Attack” demonstration in Accra.
Mr Gbande argued that the NPP’s claims of political persecution, selective justice and the misuse of state institutions do not reflect the state of Ghana’s democracy and are unlikely to result in any action by the Mahama administration.
Speaking on Adom FM, he said the successful organisation of the NPP’s demonstration was itself evidence that democratic freedoms remained intact in the country.
“I don’t know if the petition has reached President Mahama, but Nana Yaa Jantuah even made a mistake taking it,” he said.
Mr Gbande, who also serves as Deputy Director of Operations at the Presidency, questioned how the NPP could maintain that democracy was under threat while successfully mobilising thousands of supporters and holding a public demonstration without interference.
He commended the Ghana Police Service for providing security during the protest, saying the peaceful conduct of the demonstration demonstrated that the constitutional right to protest was being respected.
According to him, the government remains focused on implementing its mandate and improving the living conditions of Ghanaians rather than being distracted by opposition demonstrations.
The comments followed the NPP’s submission of petitions to the Supreme Court and Jubilee House on Thursday, August 6, 2026, as part of its “Democracy Under Attack” protest.
The NPP accused the government of using state institutions to target political opponents and raised concerns over what it described as threats to Ghana’s democratic governance.
Mr Gbande, however, rejected the allegations, arguing that the NPP’s ability to organise the protest contradicted its claim that democratic freedoms were being suppressed.
He also dismissed suggestions that the demonstration had been disrupted by external forces, claiming that the confrontations recorded during the procession involved some NPP supporters themselves.
“It was among your own supporters we saw people fighting,” he said.
Mr Gbande further described the protesters as fellow Ghanaians and, in a lighter remark, said he would have shown goodwill towards them had he been present at the demonstration.
“If we were in Accra, I would have even bought food for them because they are our brothers,” he added.
