The Minority Caucus in Parliament has accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of inciting violence and disrupting the rerun parliamentary elections held in 19 polling stations across the Ablekuma North Constituency on Friday, July 11.
In a statement issued after the polls, the Minority condemned what it described as acts of lawlessness and violence allegedly carried out by NDC thugs led by Malik Basintale, the party’s Deputy National Communications Officer, and Mustapha Gbande, its Deputy General Secretary.
“Videos circulating show that they are inciting, directing and ordering acts of violence,” the statement claimed, adding that senior NDC officials who should be condemning such actions were instead justifying them, implicating themselves in what the Minority called an assault on Ghana’s democracy.
The Caucus outlined multiple violent incidents recorded during the rerun. At the St. Peter’s polling station, the NDC thugs allegedly physically assaulted the New Patriotic Party’s parliamentary candidate, Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, former Fisheries Minister Hawa Koomson, and Darkoa Newman, the former MP for Okaikwei South.
At the Church of Pentecost North Odorkor 2 polling station, a police officer reportedly slapped Banahene Agyekum, a journalist with the EIB Network, while he was covering the elections. Additionally, at the Awoshie DVLA polling station, NDC thugs dressed in brown uniforms and posing as security personnel were arrested by the police after failing to provide identification.
The Minority further reported confrontations between NDC thugs and police officers at the Asiedu Gyedu Memorial School 1 polling station, which contributed to a tense and chaotic environment that threatened the safety of voters and electoral officials. Another incident involved the assault of Chris Lloyd Nii Kwei Asamoah, Deputy National Organiser of the NPP, by alleged NDC thugs.
The Minority also criticised the Ghana Police Service for what it described as complicity, accusing officers of standing by unconcerned despite prior threats issued by Malik Basintale, who allegedly encouraged supporters to engage in violence during a rally the day before the rerun.
They further slammed the appearance of the Interior and Defence Ministers at polling centres, calling it a “public gimmick” meant to feign concern while masking what they described as gross inaction and complicity in the thuggery.
The Minority reiterated its opposition to the Electoral Commission’s decision to conduct a rerun in 19 polling stations, describing it as inconsistent with earlier assurances that only three polling stations required collation to declare a winner. They argued that this sudden shift raises suspicions of political interference and undermines public confidence in Ghana’s electoral institutions.
They called on the Inspector General of Police to investigate the assaults on Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, Hawa Koomson, Banahene Agyekum, and Chris Lloyd Nii Kwei Asamoah, as well as the activities of NDC thugs impersonating security personnel, to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.
“The people of Ablekuma North deserve a peaceful, transparent, and fair electoral process,” the statement concluded, emphasising the Minority’s commitment to defending the rule of law and ensuring representation for the constituency, which has been without a Member of Parliament since January 7.
Statement is below:
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
