The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has blamed its defeat in the Akwatia by-election on alleged acts of violence by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), particularly its National Vice Chairman, Sofo Azorka.
Speaking on Joy News, the NPP’s Director of Communications, Richard Ahiagbah, said the actions of Mr Azorka and his supporters instilled fear among voters, suppressed turnout, and ultimately cost the party victory.
“Sofo Azorka, NDC’s National Vice Chairman, in a very violent way accosted an individual who had not said anything to him except to give an interview, give his view or report on what is happening. And then he accosted him, abused him in the manner he did, and then his people slapped him. And today, as we speak, he’s home, probably watching us on TV, and we are wondering, what is this?” Mr Ahiagbah recounted.
He argued that the incident went beyond an isolated attack, stressing that it had wider implications for the electoral process.
“The implication of that is that it heightens tension in the environment and, in most likely situations, creates fear and panic for most of the people who could have come out to vote and not to come out. And we believe that our victory lay in turnout, and if people had come out in a manner we anticipated, we would have won that election,” he said.
Mr Ahiagbah further alleged that the NDC deliberately pursued a strategy of intimidation to suppress voter participation.
“But a systematic effort by the NDC to suppress the vote created fear and panic,” he added.
The Akwatia by-election, held following the death of the late NPP MP Ernest Kumi, was won by the NDC’s Bernard Bediako.
Source: Abubakar Ibrahim
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