The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) nationwide Constituency Executive Elections, held over the weekend as part of the party’s re-organization ahead of the 2028 general elections, were marred by violence, disruptions, court injunctions and allegations of voter suppression in several constituencies across the country.
The most serious incidents were recorded in the Ashanti Region, where clashes between rival factions, destruction of electoral materials and police arrests disrupted voting in some constituencies.
In the Bantama Constituency, confusion erupted at the Kumasi Cultural Centre after a group of party members stormed the election venue and disrupted the voting process, insisting that the exercise should not have been held because it had been injuncted by the court.
The group reportedly destroyed ballot papers and other electoral materials, forcing officials to suspend the exercise. One party member sustained injuries during the disturbance and was rushed to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for treatment.
Police personnel deployed to maintain security arrested three suspects at the scene and escorted them away in a police vehicle as investigations commenced.
The disturbances followed an interim injunction issued by a Kumasi High Court restraining the party from conducting the constituency executive elections in Bantama for ten days after some aggrieved members challenged the process over alleged irregularities in the electoral album and the exclusion of names of eligible delegates.
A similar incident occurred at the SDA Church polling station in Wiamoase during the Effiduase-Sekyere East Constituency elections when one Kwame Afrifa Mensah allegedly arrived at the polling station with about 30 men described by police as “macho men”.
According to the Ashanti North Regional Police Command, the group became aggressive after security personnel questioned their presence at the venue and subsequently attacked police officers and disrupted the electoral process by throwing electoral materials onto the ground.
Seven suspects, including the alleged leader of the group, were arrested to assist with investigations while police launched a manhunt for others who fled the scene.
Although the suspects claimed they had secured an interlocutory injunction to halt the elections, police said neither the Electoral Commission nor the security agencies had been served with any court order directing that the election be suspended.
Police intervention restored calm at the polling station, allowing voting to continue under heightened security until the exercise was successfully completed later in the day.
Later, two of the suspects, Kwame Afrifa Mensah and Osman Awuni, complained of ill health and were admitted to the Mampong Government Hospital under police guard.
Media personality Okatakyie Afrifa-Mensah was also arrested following disturbances during voting in the Afigya Sekyere East Constituency in the Ashanti Region.
Eyewitnesses and videos circulating on social media showed a group allegedly linked to the broadcaster storming the polling centre in the early hours of voting, causing panic among delegates and party officials.
Some witnesses alleged that members of the group were carrying firearms, although those claims had not been independently verified at the time of publication.
Police officers swiftly restored calm and maintained a heavy security presence around the venue, allowing voting to resume and proceed peacefully.
Beyond the violence, legal disputes and allegations of voter suppression cast a shadow over the elections in several constituencies.
Ahead of the polls, there were accusations by some party executives and delegates that names of eligible voters had been removed from electoral albums, raising tensions and prompting legal action in some areas.
The developments resulted in court injunctions in some constituencies and deepened divisions among rival factions within the party.
Reacting to the incidents, the NPP said it would not shield any member found culpable of violence or criminal conduct during the elections.
Deputy General Secretary of the party, Haruna Mohammed, said the NPP would allow police investigations and any related legal proceedings to run their course before activating the party’s internal disciplinary processes.
He said the severity of sanctions would depend on the findings of investigations and the nature of the offences committed.
He stressed that criminal records and convictions remain important considerations under the party’s internal rules, particularly for persons seeking or holding leadership positions within the NPP.
Haruna Mohammed further assured party members that the NPP remained committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that its internal electoral processes were conducted in accordance with democratic principles.
The incidents, however, have raised concerns over growing tensions within the opposition party as it begins preparations for the 2028 general elections.
