Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in charge of operations, Mustapha Gbande, has criticised the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) election of Kojo Fosu Boadu, popularly known as Kojo Bamba, as First Vice Chairman, describing the outcome as “backward politics.”

Speaking on JoyNews’ AM show, Mr Gbande argued that electing a former leader of a pro-NPP vigilante group to a senior party position projects a mindset of violence that, in his view, Ghana has moved beyond.

“To go and elect, projecting the mindset of violence, for me is backward politics. We have reserves for all of these,” he said.

Mr Gbande also rejected suggestions that the NPP’s new leadership could rely on violence or other means to influence future elections.

He said Ghana’s electoral system had developed to the point where political parties that lose public support would have to accept defeat.

“So Ghana has moved beyond rigging of elections,” he said.

“If your political party misbehaves, your government misbehaves, it will go to opposition. Finito, nothing can be done. Nobody will be allowed to rig an election in this country again.”

Mr Gbande also alleged that the NPP had previously planned to deploy military personnel to support its electoral efforts, a claim he said his party prevented. He did not provide further details during the interview.

Mr Gbande acknowledged Kojo Bamba’s grassroots political experience but questioned the message conveyed by his election.

“When we came to the scene, we are not bodyguards. We are analysts,” he said.

He referred to Mr Bamba’s past association with former President Nana Akufo-Addo and his leadership of the Delta Force, a pro-NPP vigilante group.

Mr Gbande, however, acknowledged that Bamba’s background does not by itself disqualify him from holding political office.

He noted that political parties require different skills and personalities during election campaigns.

“For every election, you need everything, do you not? Whether it’s a bodyguard, whether it’s an operative, whether it’s an intellectual, you need all of it,” he said.

He added that this reflected the broader mix of people political parties seek to assemble for electoral contests.

Kojo Bamba was elected NPP First Vice Chairman at the party’s National Delegates Conference in Kumasi on October 3, 2026, securing 3,116 votes.

He previously rose to prominence as a leader of the Delta Force, which was involved in a 2017 confrontation over the appointment of George Adjei as Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator.

He later moved into the NPP’s formal structures and was appointed Deputy National Director of Operations of the party’s youth wing in 2018.

Mr Gbande’s comments come as the NDC and NPP prepare for the 2028 general elections.