Gunmen attack NPP candidate for Asunafo South; two injured

Gun and machete-wielding men suspected to be supporters of the National Democratic Congress have allegedly attacked the New Patriotic Party parliamentary candidate for Asunafo South, George Boakye.

The incident happened between the hours of 9:30pm and 10:00pm Thursday at his residence in Sankore in the Brong Ahafo Region while he was preparing to go to bed.

Although he escaped unhurt, two people sustained cutlass wounds in the attack, which was also taken to his father’s residence, while his pick-up vehicle and other items were also destroyed.

Mr Boakye had to spend the night in his house under police protection, and he is currently preparing to lodge formal complaint to the Police in the area.

There have been a protracted tension between supporters of the NDC and the NPP in the area which occasionally results in attacks and reprisals; something that has put residents in fear for months.

In September the Electoral Commission indefinitely suspended the transfer of votes in the Asunafo South Constituency following an attack on its district office at Kukuom that led to the destruction of electoral materials.

Earlier in that month, machete-wielding thugs stormed the NPP office at Kukuom where they destroyed office equipment as a result of some disturbances during the vote transfer exercise.

Thursday’s attack on the NPP candidate becomes the latest of a series in the constituency, which has been the result of rivalry between the Regional Minister Eric Opoku, who is competing with Mr Boakye for the Asunafo seat on the ticket of the NDC.

Confirming the attack to TV3’s Larry Paa Kwesi Moses Friday morning, Mr Boakye claimed the group, who are assigns of Mr Opoku, cut-electricity supply to his house before they stormed compound.

“It happened around 9:30 – 10:00,” he said, noting that he was preparing to listen to news before going to bed and “all of a sudden I saw all my lights were off and after that, I heard noise of stones, sticks and other things smashing my windows and then also gunshots.”

According to him, he managed to hide in the house, called the police, while his nephew escaped. He said the driver of his pick-up was attacked and sustained machete wounds while the attackers destroyed his windows and home appliances.

He said the group then proceeded to his father’s residence in the town where they inflicted cutlass wounds on one of the occupants in the house. They also destroyed a section of the roof of the building, he said. “I informed the Police yesterday.

They came, though belatedly, they are still around. I’m preparing to go and lodge official complaint and speak to my regional chairman and national chairman and see what’s next,” he told our correspondent.