Akwatia By-Election: NDC’s Gbande Warns Against Intimidation, Says ‘Violence Begets Violence’

Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mustapha Gbande, has cautioned that any attempt to intimidate voters or disrupt the upcoming Akwatia by-election will be fiercely resisted.

Speaking to party supporters on Wednesday, August 27, Gbande stressed that while the NDC is committed to a peaceful electoral process, it will not hesitate to defend itself if provoked.

“We won’t bring violence here. NDC is not a violent party, but on the 2nd of September, if anybody decides to come to the town or the voting grounds with violence, they will come, but they will not know how to leave. Violence begets violence,” he warned.

He further encouraged party members to remain focused on mobilising support for the NDC’s parliamentary candidate, Bernard Bediako, and to rely on discipline, hard work, and vigilance at the polls to secure victory.

“Let us go in our numbers to conduct thorough work. Let us encourage the people to vote for our candidate. We can’t win this election if we don’t go out to work. Let us be encouraged,” Gbande told supporters.

Meanwhile, NDC National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah has expressed confidence that the by-election will be conducted peacefully, assuring that the party is committed to a fair contest.

The Akwatia by-election, scheduled for Tuesday, September 2, will see the NDC’s Bernard Bediako face off against the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Solomon Kwame Asumadu, in what is expected to be a closely watched contest given Akwatia’s swing-seat reputation.

To ensure law and order, the Ghana Police Service has announced the deployment of over 600 officers to the constituency. The officers, who recently underwent a five-day intensive training programme, have been tasked with safeguarding the electoral process before, during, and after the polls.