Electoral Commission warns Political Parties against vigilantism

The Electoral Commission has cautioned political parties against the use of hoodlums during political activities and elections.

This notice follows the recent violence which characterised the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.

Condemning the act, the Commission “entreated Political Parties to work to address the issue of vigilantes within their respective Political Parties to ensure that similar incidents do not occur in the future.”

In the view of the Commission, Security Officers should have “better handled the clashes” which occurred in Delali Kwesi Brempong’s house.

The above conclusion was arrived at after a crucial meeting between the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) of the Electoral Commission and other stakeholders to deliberate on the widely condemned violence and other pertinent issues.

The meeting included representatives of registered political parties, development partners and a number of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) as well as some senior officers of the Commission.

Other matters discussed were on the 2019 District Level Elections (DLE) and Referendum, Inspection of offices of Political Parties, and Level of Compliance by the political parties with respect to their 2017/18 Audited Accounts.