Election Watch Ghana has issued an urgent appeal for peace following reports of rising tensions and violence within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) ahead of its January 31 flagbearership elections.
In a statement on Monday, January 19, 2026, the election monitoring group said it is “deeply concerned about the escalating tensions and reports of violence within the NPP,” warning that such incidents threaten the integrity of the internal electoral process.
The group cited specific disturbances at campaign events, including an incident in Sunyani where “Naa Torshi was chased out so she can address the public from a car,” as well as reports that “one of the social media activists was beaten by the other camp,” according to media reports.
Describing the developments as “alarming and unacceptable,” Election Watch Ghana stressed that violence has no place in democratic competition.
The organization has therefore called on the Ghana Police Service to step in immediately by convening “an emergency meeting with the flagbearer aspirants and party leadership to establish clear guidelines and ensure adherence to a code of conduct for the elections.”
The statement further urged security agencies and other stakeholders to “take immediate action to de-escalate tensions, deploy adequate security personnel to hotspots, and prevent further violence.”
Appealing directly to party members, Election Watch Ghana said, “As Ghana watches this critical election unfold, we implore all NPP members and supporters to exercise restraint, tolerance, and calm,” adding that “democracy thrives on peaceful competition, not violence.”
The group emphasized that responsibility rests heavily on the party’s leadership to guarantee a peaceful process and ensure that “all aspirants and supporters respect the outcome of the elections.”
Election Watch Ghana also underscored the importance of preventive action, noting that “preventive measures are crucial at this stage,” and called on the police to provide “regular updates on the security situation and actions taken to address any incidents.”
