Afigya Sekyere East MP condemns violence at Council of State elections, calls for perpetrators to be sanctioned

The Member of Parliament of Afigya Sekyere East Constituency, Mavis Nkansah-Boadu, has condemned the acts of violence that occurred during the Council of State elections in the Ashanti Region.

It could be recalled that on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, the Council of State elections in the Ashanti Region was marred by violence and vandalism, leading to widespread condemnation from lawmakers and citizens alike.

In a statement delivered in Parliament on February 13, 2024, Nkansah-Boadu denounced the acts of lawlessness that disrupted the electoral process.

The MP expressed deep concern over the recent surge in election-related violence, including attacks on EC officials, arson, and unlawful takeovers of state agencies.

She stated that such acts undermine Ghana’s democratic integrity and threaten national peace and stability.

“The country, in recent weeks, has witnessed election-related violence, including physical attacks on Electoral Commission officials, arson, unlawful takeover of state agencies, attacks on security personnel and other forms of vandalism.

“These acts of lawlessness are alien to Ghanaian culture and values, undermine the integrity of our democratic process and threaten the peace and stability of our great nation. The violence we have witnessed in recent days is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated," she said.

Nkansah-Boadu also urged the Electoral Commission and the Ghana Police Service to discharge their duties without fear or favor, while calling on President John Dramani Mahama to ensure that all perpetrators face the full force of the law.

“We, therefore, call on His Excellency, President John Dramani Mahama, to condemn this undemocratic and violent act and ensure that all culprits, regardless of their political affiliations, face the full force of the law. We are a nation with a proud history of peaceful transitions of power. We should not allow these recent events to tarnish our reputation and undermine our progress,” she added.

She also criticised the EC’s decision to order a re-run of the election in the Ashanti Region, despite a clear winner emerging before the disruption, and called for heightened security during the re-run to prevent further violence.

“It is unfortunate that the Electoral Commission has announced a re-run of the Council of State election in the Ashanti Region, despite there being a clear winner. We call on the Police Service to heighten security for the re-run to prevent any disruptions,” she said.

In her concluding remarks, the MP stressed that violence during elections is an assault on Ghana’s democracy and a betrayal of the nation’s constitutional values.

She urged Parliament to take a firm stand against such acts, ensuring that Ghana remains a beacon of democratic stability in Africa.

“Violence in any form during elections and their aftermath is an assault on the very foundation of Ghana's democracy and a betrayal of the values enshrined in our Constitution. Our nation has long been a beacon of democratic stability in Africa, and any act of electoral violence undermines not only the sovereign will of the people but also the hard-won peace that defines our nation,” she concluded.

What happened?

The violence during the Ashanti Region’s Council of State election was reportedly triggered by the unexpected defeat of National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Yaw Owusu Obimpeh, who was considered a frontrunner.

Supporters, allegedly aggrieved by the outcome, instigated the chaos, demanding a review of the results. Thugs stormed the election venue, destroying ballot boxes, scattering voting materials, and attacking officials and journalists.

Despite the presence of security personnel, the situation escalated, forcing the EC to suspend the process.

The Ashanti Regional Police Commander, DCOP Frank Abrokwa, was subsequently removed from his position following the incident, and a manhunt has been launched to apprehend the perpetrators.

The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with many calling for accountability and measures to safeguard future elections from similar disruptions.

ID/AE

In the meantime, watch the story of the Ghanaian team that rode motorbikes from Accra to Dakar and back in 17 days, below: