Bawumia Calls Out Mahama, Other Leaders Over Ablekuma North Election Violence: “Take Action”
- Former Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has urged President John Mahama to ensure justice after the Ablekuma North election violence
- Bawumia said he was very disturbed by attacks on New Patriotic Party members during the election
- Voting was disrupted at the St. Peter’s Polling Station in the Ablekuma North constituency after an eruption of violence
Former Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has called on President John Mahama to take action over the violence witnessed during the Ablekuma North election.
Bawumia described the attacks on New Patriotic Party members by alleged National Democratic Congress assigns as very disturbing.
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He stressed that the attackers needed to be held accountable.
"I call on the president to take action and all the people in charge of this country… to take action to bring the perpetrators to book."
“We want peace in this country. This is not the democracy that Ghana wants to see, so it is very important that these forms of acts are not encouraged.”
Voting was disrupted at the St. Peter’s Polling Station after an eruption of violence.
Some assailants stormed the polling centre, attacking individuals and forcing a temporary suspension of voting.
Among those assaulted were NPP parliamentary candidate Nana Akua Afriyie and former Fisheries Minister Hawa Koomson.
Koomson was said to have gotten medical treatment after the incident.
In one of the most violent incidents on the day, a video showed the NPP National Deputy Organiser, Chris Lloyd Nii Kwei Asamoah, being ganged up on and beaten by a mob.
Police personnel present were unable to contain the men who charged into the gated polling centre.
Security around the polling centre was reinforced to prevent further disruptions as constituents continue to cast their votes.
Ewald Garr, a governance analyst, noted to YEN.com.gh that more proactivity from the police was needed in this scenario.
"The police should be more vigilant. They should not just leave people to act on their own.”
Attacks on journalists during Ablekuma North election
Some reporters covering the election were also attacked during the heated polls.
A journalist from GHOne TV was slapped by a police officer who has since been interdicted.
A reporter from the Multimedia Group was also manhandled by a masked man around a polling station.
Why is there a rerun in Ablekuma North?
The results have been under dispute since the attempted collation of results in December 2024.
The NDC and NPP argued about the credibility of some of the pink sheets, which included results from 37 polling stations.
Source: Facebook
The NDC claims the sheets provided by the NPP were not sufficient and insisted that the entire election be rerun in those 37 stations.
The government condemned the assault on the two journalists, describing the incident as both regrettable and unacceptable.
After multiple failed attempts to recollate the results, the Electoral Commission decided on a rerun of the election in 19 out of the 37 polling stations.
Police act on alleged impersonation of security officers
YEN.com.gh reported that police arrested people who allegedly impersonated security officers at the Awoshie DVLA polling station during the Ablekuma North elections.
The suspects were dressed in brown uniforms and failed to identify themselves. They were taken to the Odorkor Police Station as investigations began.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
