The Minority Caucus in Parliament has strongly condemned what it describes as “acts of lawlessness and violence” during the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun, calling out both the Ghana Police Service and senior government officials for failing to ensure a peaceful electoral process.
The statement, signed by Minority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, cited a string of attacks, threats, and disruptions that tainted the rerun of the December 2024 parliamentary election in parts of the constituency.
“The Minority Caucus strongly condemns the acts of lawlessness and violence that have marred the parliamentary rerun election of 19 polling stations in the Ablekuma North Constituency today”
Minority Caucus
According to the Minority, operatives of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), including Deputy National Communications Officer Malik Basintale and Deputy General Secretary Mustapha Gbande, were “inciting, directing and ordering acts of violence.”
The Caucus argued that video evidence shows both men orchestrating disruptions, alleging that senior NDC officials not only failed to condemn the incidents but actively defended them, “implicating themselves in this assault on democracy,” the Minority stated.
The group was especially critical of what it termed the Ghana Police Service’s “apparent complicity” during the violence. It said police officers stood idly by while thugs affiliated with the NDC assaulted voters, journalists, and political candidates.
It referenced threats made by Malik Basintale at a rally the previous day, in which he allegedly encouraged violence, yet faced no preventive action from law enforcement.
The group also took aim at the Ministers for Defence and Interior, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah and Hon. Mubarak Muntaka Mohammed, whose appearance at some polling centers they dismissed as ulterior.
“Their presence was nothing more than a public gimmick, designed to feign concern while masking their gross inaction and complicity in the thuggery”
Minority Caucus
Incidents of Concern
Among the incidents catalogued by the Minority Caucus were the physical assaults on several NPP figures at polling stations.
These include NPP parliamentary candidate Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, former Fisheries Minister Hawa Koomson, and former Okaikwei South MP Darkoa Newman, all of whom were allegedly attacked at the St. Peter’s polling station.
At the Church of Pentecost North Odorkor 2 polling station, a police officer was reported to have slapped EIB Network journalist Banahene Agyekum while he was covering the election and at Awoshie DVLA, alleged NDC operatives dressed in brown uniforms and impersonating security personnel were arrested after failing to produce identification.
Additionally, tensions escalated at the Asiedu Gyedu Memorial School 1 polling station following confrontations between police and NDC supporters. Another reported case involved the assault of Chris Lloyd Nii Kwei Asamoah, Deputy National Organiser of the NPP.
The Caucus emphasized that these episodes formed part of a broader trend of irregularities that began during the December 2024 general elections, referencing the destruction of electoral materials, missing pink sheets, and the fire outbreak at the Kwashieman Cluster of Schools.
The statement further reiterated the Minority’s disapproval of the Electoral Commission’s decision to rerun the election in 19 polling stations, contrasting it with previous assurances that only three stations required resolution to finalize collation.
The sudden change in the EC’s position, according to the Minority, still raises concerns of political interference and contributes to public mistrust in Ghana’s electoral institutions.
The Minority Caucus demanded that the Ghana Police Service investigate and prosecute individuals responsible for the violence in today’s rerun.
It specifically named victims including Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, Hawa Koomson, Banahene Agyekum, and Chris Lloyd Nii Kwei Asamoah, while also calling for legal action against NDC operatives who impersonated security personnel.
“The continued disenfranchisement of Ablekuma North residents, who have been without parliamentary representation since 7th January, 2025, is unacceptable”
Minority Caucus
The group, beyond demanding the rightful candidate for the constituency, also called on the EC and security agencies to refrain troublesome individuals from inciting further unrest. It also appealed to civil society, the media, and the international community to maintain vigilance as the elections come to a close and collations begin.
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