Ablekuma North Attacks Disturbing, Betray Ghana’s Democracy – Bawumia Condemns Rerun Violence

New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer and former Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has strongly condemned the violent incidents that marred the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun, describing them as a betrayal of Ghana’s democratic ideals.

In an interview on Friday, July 11, Bawumia said the chaotic scenes unfolding at several polling stations, especially those involving assaults on political opponents and journalists, were deeply troubling.

“They’re very disturbing,” he said. “This is not the democracy we want to see in Ghana. Our supporters are being attacked by thugs in the presence of the police who have been unable to protect them.”

Bawumia accused the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) of failing to uphold the democratic standards they promised to protect upon assuming office in 2024.

Rerun Marred by Violence and Intimidation

The Electoral Commission (EC) ordered the rerun in 19 polling stations across Ablekuma North following disputes over unauthenticated result forms during the December 7, 2024, general elections.

However, the rerun quickly turned chaotic as reports of violence, intimidation, and even arrests involving suspected impostors in uniform surfaced.

The worst of the violence occurred at the St. Peter’s Society Methodist Church polling station in Odorkor, where a group of unidentified men—described by eyewitnesses as “macho men”—stormed the venue in a pickup truck and on motorbikes.

Eyewitness reports and disturbing video footage show that former Fisheries Minister and Awutu Senya East MP, Mavis Hawa Koomson, was among those brutally attacked. She was forced to the ground and reportedly stomped in the chest and groin before police officers intervened.

Other victims included the NPP parliamentary candidate for Ablekuma North, Nana Akua Afriyie, and a female party agent, both of whom sustained facial injuries.

Later in the day, a JoyNews journalist was also reportedly slapped and shoved while filming the disturbances.

EC Urged to Ensure Safety and Credibility

The EC has reiterated its commitment to ensuring transparency and restoring electoral integrity in Ablekuma North. Yet, the ongoing violence has sparked growing calls for enhanced security and stricter enforcement of the law.

Interior Minister Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka has warned that all infractions recorded during the rerun will be treated as criminal offenses, emphasizing that no individual—regardless of political affiliation or status—will be spared prosecution.

With a razor-thin margin separating the NPP’s Nana Akua Afriyie and the NDC’s Ewurabena Aubynn, the outcome of the rerun is seen as critical to ending the seven-month parliamentary vacuum in the constituency.

The Ablekuma North seat has remained unrepresented in Parliament since the disputed 2024 elections.