Photo: Justin Kodua Frimpong, NPP General Secretary
• Bypasses Butey, Plots with Rita to Hijack Party!
The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) is once again in the throes of internal chaos, as its Chief Scribe, Justin Kodua Frimpong, stands accused of gross insubordination, constitutional violations, and running the party with utter disregard for established leadership and laid-down procedures.
The General Secretary has reportedly usurped the powers of the Acting National Chairman, Mr. Danquah Smith (Butey), and is running party affairs as though the NPP were his personal roadside drinking spot—a “blue kiosk akpeteshie bar”, as one furious executive described it.
Bypassing the Boss
Despite Mr Butey being alive, active, and very much within jurisdiction, Kodua has chosen to take instructions not from the Acting National Chairman, but from Madam Rita Talata Asobayire, the party’s National 2nd Vice Chairperson—in clear violation of the NPP’s own constitution.
A leaked letter signed by Kodua summoned party bigwigs for an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC)meeting on July 7, 2025, at the orders of Madam Asobayire, not the Acting Chairman. The letter, dripping with defiance, reads in part:
“By the order of the National 2nd Chairperson, Mad. Rita Talata Asobayire, you are hereby notified that there will be an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting…”
This stunning move has left many in the party aghast.
“This is an institutional coup,” a senior regional executive told The Hawk. “Chairman Butey is right here. He has not delegated authority to Rita or Kodua. So who is calling the shots—and why?”
Lawyer Gone Rogue?
The most disturbing element in this unfolding drama is that Justin Kodua is a trained lawyer. Observers argue that he should know better than to sidestep the party’s chain of command and break protocol.
According to the NPP Constitution, convening and chairing NEC meetings falls squarely under the domain of the National Chairman—or the Acting Chairman in his absence. The Second or Third Vice Chairpersons only step in when the Chairman is unavailable or outside the jurisdiction.
“There is no ambiguity here,” said a legal analyst familiar with the party’s internal rules. “Kodua is not just acting outside his lane—he’s actively dragging the party into a constitutional ditch.”
Conference Date Sparks Fresh Firestorm
It gets worse. Under Kodua’s watch, the NPP has set July 19, 2025, for its Annual Delegates Conference—without holding the prerequisite constituency and regional conferences, which are clearly required under Article 10.
In addition, he has allegedly flouted Article 19 (1), which mandates the circulation of proposed amendments and agenda items four clear weeks before the national conference. No such memos have been sighted at several regional secretariats contacted by The Hawk.
“This is raw disregard for process,” a former party legal advisor said. “It’s either reckless or calculated. Either way, it’s dangerous.”
Old Habits Die Hard?
Some within the NPP believe this is not an isolated power play but part of a pattern of manipulation and sabotage orchestrated by Kodua and Asobayire.
“The same duo who undermined Chairman Ntim during his illness are now closing ranks to sideline Butey,” a National Council member revealed. “This isn’t a coincidence—it’s a coordinated plan.”
Chairman Danquah Smith Butey, who assumed the role of Acting National Chairman on 17 June 2025, has yet to publicly comment—but sources say he is privately livid over what insiders are now calling a “hostile administrative takeover.”
What’s Really Going On?
Speculation is swirling about why Kodua is flouting the party hierarchy. Some suspect he is positioning himself for reelection and consolidating control over party machinery. Others say he is acting as a proxy for powerful external forces seeking to dominate the NPP’s internal direction ahead of 2028.
Whatever the motivation, the damage is real.
“This is not how you run a political party,” a visibly frustrated regional organiser told The Hawk. “It’s how you run a ‘blue kiosk’—and even those have order.”
Time for Rebellion?
Grassroots anger is boiling over. Multiple constituency executives are calling for an emergency petition to restrain the General Secretary and restore the role of the Acting Chairman.
“If Butey is Acting Chairman, then he must act. Silence is not strength,” one youth organiser said. “We didn’t sign up for dictatorship by general secretary.”
Final Word
The NPP’s credibility is under siege—not by its opponents, but from within. As the July 19 conference looms amid internal confusion and a growing crisis of legitimacy, party faithful are asking:
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