Ablekuma North Violence: Ensure perpetrators are punished – Bawumia to Mahama

Former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has condemned the violent disturbances that marred the parliamentary rerun in the Ablekuma North Constituency on Friday, July 11, calling the events “disturbing and unacceptable.”

Speaking to the media following reports of widespread violence at several polling centres, Dr. Bawumia urged President John Dramani Mahama and the current NDC administration to act swiftly and decisively to bring perpetrators to justice.

“The reports of what has gone on at Ablekuma North this morning are very disturbing.This is not the democracy that we want to see in Ghana,” he stated. “Our supporters are being attacked by thugs in the presence of the police who have been unable to protect them.”

Dr. Bawumia listed several victims of the violence, including NPP parliamentary candidate Nana Akua Afriyie, former Awutu Senya East MP Mavis Hawa Koomson, and the party’s deputy national organiser.

He noted that many of those assaulted were women.

He warned that the failure to prosecute the attackers could lead to dangerous consequences for Ghana’s democracy.

“But we have seen them. And let me assure them that should they not be brought to book, we will not forget. They will be brought to book no longer, no matter how long it takes. We will not forget what has happened,” he vowed.

Dr. Bawumia further cautioned that if such political violence goes unchecked, parties may be forced to provide their own protection in future elections — a move that, he said, would threaten national stability.

The violence reportedly began at the Odorkor Methodist Church polling station, where Hawa Koomson allegedly discharged pepper spray during an altercation, leading to a temporary suspension of voting.

The situation escalated at the St. Peter’s polling station, where unidentified men believed to be political thugs attacked party agents and journalists.

Nana Akua Afriyie and a female polling agent sustained facial injuries, while Hawa Koomson was also reportedly assaulted during the chaos.

The Electoral Commission (EC) is supervising the rerun in 19 polling stations across the constituency, after unresolved verification issues affected 37 stations during the December 2024 general elections.

Results from 18 of those stations were already certified, with fresh voting required in the remaining 19.

Ablekuma North has lacked parliamentary representation since the 2024 polls, and the EC maintains that the rerun is critical to restoring full democratic participation in the area.