Suppression of free speech is what has done President Mahama in - Kpebu

Lawyer Martin Kpebu has said that the arrest of persons for the comments they made against the government is what is leading to disaffection with President John Dramani Mahama and the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Kpebu makes the point that Ghanaians cherish their free speech a lot; hence, if the president or government tampers with that free speech, they will run into trouble.

"Clamping down on free speech is what has done the President in. Ghanaians like free speech; the moment you touch free speech, they won't forgive you. As for the arrest, you have to tackle it, allow people," he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, October 24.

Kpebu, however, said that the NDC will win the next election, but their votes will drop drastically compared to what transpired in the 2024 general elections.

"They will win, but the votes will drop drastically," he said.

Kpebu was contributing to a discussion on the upcoming internal elections of the NDC.

Hamza Suhuyini, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) communications team, said that the NDC will miss the institutional memory of the current National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, who is not seeking reelection.

Hamza stated that Mr Nketia is not only an experienced member of the NDC, but he has institutional memory.

"It is not just his experience, but institutional memory. We will not pretend that indeed we are not going to miss an important figure; we will," he said on the Key Point on TV3 Saturday, October 24.

He, however, said that the NDC is working to fill that vacuum.

"We are doing everything to ensure that vacuum will be filled," he said.

The NDC closed nominations for its 2026 National Executive Elections, with 137 prospective aspirants picking up nomination forms to contest 14 positions.

In a statement dated Wednesday, October 21, 2026, and signed by the Spokesperson for the Congress Elections Committee, Dr Peter Boamah Otokunor, the party announced that the nomination process closed at 5 pm on the same day.

The aspirants have 14 days to complete their nomination forms, pay the required filing fees and secure the necessary endorsements in accordance with the party’s 2026 guidelines for the conduct of the National Congress.

The filing of completed nomination forms is scheduled for November 7 to 9, 2026, at the party’s headquarters in Adabraka, Accra