The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Frimpong Koduah, has defended New Juaben South MP, Michael Okyere Baafi, following public backlash over his pledge to resign if the party lost the Akwatia by-election.

Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Koduah praised the lawmaker for his swift apology, describing it as a rare show of humility in Ghanaian politics.

“I will commend Michael Okyere Baafi for his swift decision to apologise. The work we all did was commendable, but from day one, Okyere Baafi was one of the first people to be in Akwatia. He was part of the committee deployed to oversee the acclamation and all election-related activities, so clearly he was optimistic,” the NPP General Secretary said.

He added that the party values Baafi’s openness, stressing that if more government officials demonstrated such courage to apologise when necessary, the country’s politics would be healthier.

“If some government officials had the courage to offer such apologies for certain statements, the country would have been better off. So, the NPP are very happy with his decision to apologise,” Mr. Koduah noted.

Mr. Okyere Baafi came under pressure after the NPP’s loss in the Akwatia by-election, where he had earlier vowed to resign if the opposition triumphed. Bernard Bediako Baidoo of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) won the contest with 18,199 votes against the NPP’s Kwame Asumadu, who secured 15,235.

The defeat sparked calls from political opponents, particularly within the NDC, for the former Deputy Trade Minister to honour his words and step down. His subsequent apology has divided opinion, with some dismissing it as inadequate and others, like the NPP leadership, welcoming it as a responsible step.