Interior Minister Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka has issued a stern warning that all infractions recorded during the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun will be treated as criminal offenses.
He stressed that anyone found violating electoral laws—regardless of their status—will be prosecuted accordingly.
The Minister made this statement in an interview with GHOne News on Friday, July 11, as voting was underway in the constituency.
“All infractions during the Ablekuma North rerun will be treated as criminal offenses and anyone found flouting the law, irrespective of who they are will be dealt with accordingly.”
His comments come amid widespread reports of violence and confusion at several polling stations.
Notably, a chaotic incident unfolded at the Odorkor Methodist Church polling station involving former Awutu Senya East MP, Mavis Hawa Koomson.
Eyewitnesses alleged that the former minister discharged pepper spray during a confrontation, forcing voting to be temporarily suspended.
The disruption sparked panic among voters and heightened tensions in the area.
The situation escalated further at the St. Peter’s polling station, where a group of unidentified men—believed to be political thugs—stormed the center, attacking party agents and journalists.
Among the victims were the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate, Nana Akua Afriyie, and a female polling agent, both of whom reportedly sustained facial injuries.
Hawa Koomson was also injured during the melee.
Security forces were quickly deployed to restore order, enabling the election process to resume.
The Electoral Commission (EC) is supervising the rerun across 19 polling stations in the constituency, following verification challenges that marred the December 2024 general elections.
Results from 18 out of the initially disputed 37 polling stations had already been certified, with fresh voting required in the remaining 19.
Ablekuma North has been without parliamentary representation since the 2024 polls due to the unresolved disputes.
The EC insists that the rerun is essential to concluding the electoral process and restoring representation to the constituency.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Hamdia Mohammed
