The National Peace Council (NPC) has condemned the violence that marred the parliamentary rerun in the Ablekuma North constituency on Friday, July 11.
In a statement, the Council expressed “grave concern” over reports of physical attacks on journalists and former Awutu Senya East MP Hawa Koomson.
According to the NPC, such acts violate individual rights and threaten the peace and stability of the country.
“The Council strongly condemns these violent acts, including the assault at the Methodist Polling Station in Odorkor, and urges all voters, security personnel, and observers to remain calm, exercise restraint, and allow the Electoral Commission and security agencies to carry out their duties peacefully,” the statement read in parts.
The Council also commended the Ghana Police Service for the swift interdiction of a policeman who slapped a journalist, Kwabena Banahene Agyekum, in the line of duty.
Mr. Agyekum sustained injuries to his right eye and face, requiring medical attention at the Cocoa Clinic in Kaneshie.
Emphasising the need for a unified front against political violence, they urged cooperation between the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to prevent such occurrences.
The Electoral Commission(EC) ordered fresh voting in 19 polling stations within the constituency due to irregularities and disputes during the original December 2024 election.
The election was intended to conclude the collation of the 2024 parliamentary election results, with 261 polling stations already collated, but was marked by heightened tensions.
Ahead of the election, the NPP parliamentary candidate, Nana Akua Afriyie, was leading with 32,512 votes, holding a slim margin of 48 votes over the NDC candidate, Ewurabena Aubynn, who has garnered 32,464 votes.
After the keen contest on Friday, Ewurabena Aubynn managed to poll 34,090 votes, while Nana Akua Afriyie obtained 33,881 votes.
Source: Adomonline.com
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