The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has condemned the wave of violence, intimidation, and vote-buying that overshadowed the rerun of parliamentary elections in the Ablekuma North Constituency on Friday, July 11, 2025.
In a statement issued on Monday, July 14, the election watchdog described the incidents as alarming and a direct threat to Ghana’s democratic fabric.
CODEO, while not deploying field observers for the rerun, said it closely monitored events through media reports and citizen accounts, and raised red flags over security failures and political misconduct.
Although polling materials and staff were deployed on time and voting began as scheduled, CODEO said the process was derailed by widespread irregularities.
One of the most troubling scenes occurred at the Odorkor Methodist Church polling station, where Mavis Hawa Koomson of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was reportedly assaulted, prompting her to discharge pepper spray in self-defense.
The altercation forced a temporary suspension of voting.
A separate attack took place at the St. Peter’s Society polling station, where armed thugs allegedly stormed the premises, assaulting journalists, party agents, and even the NPP’s parliamentary candidate, Nana Akua Afriyie.
CODEO condemned these acts of violence, particularly against journalists and female political figures.
“The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) expresses grave concern over developments during the Ablekuma North Constituency election rerun held last Friday,
July 11, 2025.”
“Although the Coalition did not deploy observers to any of the 19 polling stations, our keen observation of proceedings through reports on traditional and social media revealed that while election officials and logistics were duly present, and the commencement of polls was timely, the voting process was marred by incidences of vote buying, serious lapses in security, intimidation and violence at some polling stations.”
The Electoral Commission (EC) organized the rerun after verification challenges affected 37 polling stations during the December 2024 general elections.
The EC has since declared Ewurabena Aubynn of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as the winner of the constituency seat.
CODEO urged President John Mahama and the Police Council to invoke Article 202(2) of the Constitution to investigate police conduct during the rerun.
