Vincent Ekow Assafuah, Member of Parliament for Old Tafo and Deputy Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development, has petitioned the US Embassy over concerns regarding electoral violence and threats to Ghana’s democracy during the 2024 general elections.
In his letter, Assafuah detailed a series of disturbing events that disrupted the otherwise peaceful December 7th elections.
He highlighted that after the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer and Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, conceded defeat to former President John Dramani Mahama in record time, NPP parliamentary candidates faced widespread bullying and violent attacks allegedly perpetrated by members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
According to Assafuah, these violent incidents were reported across nine constituencies traditionally considered NPP strongholds. These include Dome Kwabenya, Okaikwei Central, Ablekuma North, Tema Central, Ahafo Ano North, Ahafo Ano South West, Obuasi East, Techiman South, and Nsawam Adoagyiri.
In one instance at Okaikwei Central, the Returning Officer was reportedly threatened, beaten, dragged, and held hostage by leading NDC members, including Ashitey, Chairman of the NDC’s Greater Accra branch; Sam George, MP for Ningo-Prampram; Peter Otukunor, former Deputy General Secretary; and Malik Basintale, Deputy Communications Director.
Assafuah claimed that these individuals, accompanied by armed men, invaded the collation centre and threatened police officers, forcing the Returning Officer to declare the NDC’s candidate, Baba Sadiq, as the winner without results from 31 polling stations.
Assafuah also recounted an incident in Ablekuma North, where the NPP’s parliamentary candidate, Afriyeh Owusu, was attacked at her residence and pursued by unidentified men demanding pink sheets. He further alleged that a primary school housing ballot papers was set ablaze on December 16th, 2024. Similar incidents of harassment, threats, violence, and bullying were reported in the remaining seven constituencies.
Despite interventions by the Electoral Commission, Assafuah stated that efforts to restore order were repeatedly disrupted by acts of thuggery targeting NPP supporters, Electoral Commission staff, and members of Ghana’s Police Service at various collation centres.
In his petition, Assafuah urged the US Embassy to intervene and draw the attention of the President-elect to the need for measures to safeguard Ghana’s democracy, which has been built over the past three decades.
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