The Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, has been a staunch critic of President John Dramani Mahama for years.
From Mahama’s presidency between 2012 and 2016, through his time in opposition from 2017 until his second coming in 2024 as the 6th President of the 4th Republic, Abronye has never missed an opportunity to criticize him.
Mahama, a leader of one of Ghana’s two major political parties the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has on some occasions taken legal action against Abronye over various allegations made against him.
Some of these allegations were taken up by the state for investigation, relieving Mahama of the burden of personally pursuing legal action.
GhanaWeb profiles 3 instances where Abronye’s utterances against Mahama got him invited by the state security agencies
1.Allegations of Mahama plotting to kill NPP members
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) invited the Bono Regional Chairman of the NPP, Abronye DC, for questioning over allegations he made against the then-former President John Dramani Mahama on May 21, 2020.
In a petition to the CID signed by his lawyer, Tony Lithur, Mahama stated that Abronye DC accused him of plotting to assassinate some members of the NPP.
According to the petition, Abronye alleged that some NPP members would be assassinated by NDC operatives on Mahama’s orders.
Mahama dismissed the claims as false and urged the CID to investigate Abronye DC.
“His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama, has firmly instructed me to state that the allegations are, of course, false. For the avoidance of doubt, neither the NDC nor he has planned, hired, or instructed any person to murder or assassinate anybody,” portions of the petition read.
In response, Abronye DC criticized Mahama for lodging a complaint, arguing that the former president himself had made similar claims in the past.
“John Mahama has no moral or equitable right to lodge a complaint against me or any other person for peddling falsehoods because he is the grand lord of peddling falsehoods in this country,” excerpts of Abronye’s rebuttal stated at the time.
2.Mahama accused of plotting a coup
On February 15, 2022, the Ghana Police Service issued a press release announcing the arrest of Abronye DC following allegations that Mahama was collaborating with a terrorist group to stage a coup in Ghana.
Abronye had reported to the Accra Regional Police Command for questioning after being invited over his claims.
Preliminary investigations found his accusations untrue and deemed them likely to incite public unrest.
As a result, Abronye DC was formally arrested and charged with two counts: publication of false news and offensive conduct conducive to breaches of the peace.
He was detained and later arraigned before court on February 16, 2022.
However, on July 7, 2022, an Accra Circuit Court acquitted Abronye DC of all charges.
The court ruled that the prosecution had failed to comply with legal procedures and had demonstrated a lack of interest in pursuing the case further.
The lead prosecutor had also been reassigned to police training, preventing the case from progressing.
3.Abronye on the GH₵550 million claims
The National Investigations Bureau (NIB) has invited Abronye DC for questioning on February 26, 2025, over allegations he made against President John Dramani Mahama.
According to a letter from the NIB, Abronye claimed that Mahama was withholding GH₵550 million meant for dismissed appointees at the Jubilee House.
He made these allegations during an appearance on Accra-based Movement Television, further accusing the government of corruption in recruitment and appointment revocations.
GhanaWeb obtained a video of the interview, where Abronye alleged that Mahama had stashed the GH₵550 million in a bullion van at the Jubilee House.
“The first crime former President and now President John Dramani Mahama has committed against Ghanaians is the revocation of appointments. They have stolen a lot of money from Ghanaians through this action,” he claimed.
He further stated that the previous government, led by Nana Akufo-Addo, had allocated GH₵550 million in the 2025 budget to pay newly recruited public sector workers, including 15,000 nurses and 15,000 teachers. According to Abronye, Mahama’s administration revoked these appointments and redirected the funds elsewhere.
“The Akufo-Addo government budgeted GH₵550 million for these individuals to be employed. This money comes from taxpayers, yet another government cancels the appointments and allegedly transfers the funds to the Jubilee House. So, what are you doing with the GH₵550 million that was put in bullion vans and sent to the Jubilee House?” he questioned.
“You have revoked people’s appointments, taken their GH₵550 million, and put it in a bullion van. Meanwhile, Mahama and Okudzeto Ablakwa travel every week and have not spent more than three days in the country,” he claimed.
AM/KA
You can also watch Godfred Dame’s full speech on legal case withdrawals below: