The National Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Salam Mustapha, has raised strong concerns about the credibility of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) ahead of the Akwatia by-election, cautioning that the party could resort to intimidation and violence to disrupt the polls.
In remarks directed at the NDC and the Ghana Police Service, he suggested that the by-election, scheduled for September 30, would test the integrity of state institutions and the ruling party, and their ability to guarantee peace and fairness.
He alleged that the NDC had a history of mobilising groups to intimidate political opponents and recalled violent episodes at past polls.
“I can tell you, knowing the NDC, they are very dishonest. We cannot trust them when they say they are not going to bring people there.
“When we were going to Ablekuma North, there were remarks from NDC people that they are going to retaliate for what happened in Ayawaso West-Wuogon and so on. There were such remarks made by NDC people, and it happened”
Salam Mustapha, National Youth Organiser of the NPP
According to him, NPP supporters in Akwatia should remain alert, as the opposition could deploy so-called ‘azoka boys’ to instill fear and suppress voter turnout.
The NPP Youth Organiser was equally critical of the Ghana Police Service, which he accused of failing to intervene during recent incidents of violence at Ablekuma North. He cited the case of Deputy National Organiser, Chris Lloyd, who was allegedly attacked while police officers stood by “unconcerned and unreactive.”
“We cannot go empty-handed with our lives entrusted to people who cannot give us the assurance that they will be able to protect us when we are under attack”
Salam Mustapha, National Youth Organiser of the NPP
Salam Mustapha said such incidents had created doubts about the neutrality of the police and cast a shadow over their ability to manage security during the Akwatia polls. He argued that if left unchecked, such conduct could damage public confidence in the police and their motto.
Call For Fairness
The NPP Youth Organiser urged the police to rise to the occasion and conduct themselves in a way that restores trust. He insisted that their role would be central to ensuring that the by-election is free, fair and transparent.
“I have said that the motto of the Police Service is ‘Service with Integrity.’ The service, we can see. The integrity, we cannot”
Salam Mustapha, National Youth Organiser of the NPP
“The only way we can have confidence in the system is that we see fairness at play,” he added, explaining that only transparency of that kind would prove the Police Service was committed to both the “service” and “integrity” elements of its mission.
While accusing the NDC of dishonesty and violent tactics, Salam Mustapha assured that the NPP would cooperate with law enforcement throughout the process. However, he was clear that the party would not leave its members unprotected in the face of threats.
He repeated his caution that Akwatia voters must be vigilant, as the conduct of both the NDC and the police would shape the outcome of the polls and public trust in Ghana’s electoral process.
Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission has announced the date for the by-election in the constituency, confirming that voters in Akwatia will head to the polls on Tuesday, September 30, 2025.
The commission added that preparations are being finalized to ensure a credible and transparent process.
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