Richard Ahiagbah
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) says the party is not satisfied with security arrangements following alleged reports of plans by some elements within the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and security services to intimidate voters during the Akwatia by-election scheduled for Tuesday, September 2, 2025.
Speaking at a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Accra yesterday, Director of Communications of the party, Richard Ahiagbah, alleged that some members of the NDC have planned to disguise themselves in the name of National Security to intimidate residents and voters before and during the parliamentary by-election in Akwatia.
According to him, despite numerous evidence circulating on social media of individuals including a former minister and journalists who were assaulted by thugs during the Ablekuma North parliamentary election re-run, allegedly belonging to the NDC, only few suspects have been convicted so far.
He said, “Despite the myriads of clear and overwhelming video evidence widely circulated across social and traditional media, the Ghana Police Service has failed to make any significant progress in apprehending the real perpetrators to face the full rigours of the law.”
Mr. Ahiagbah stated that while some pro-NPP activists and journalists have been arrested and subjected to harsh bail conditions as well as prolonged detentions, thugs who physically assaulted a former minister and senior NPP National Executives have been granted bail.
“Some individuals have been arrested for simply expressing themselves on social media, but you will attest to the kind of disruptive exploits of Kevin Taylor, who is being protected by the state and also cleared of all wrongdoing by the courts. The same court that is arresting people for saying far less is the same court protecting Kevin Taylor around the country,” he noted.
Security Deployment
Mr. Ahiagbah further mentioned that although the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno last week assured the party that 5,000 police officers would be deployed for the Akwatia by-election without military intervention, the Director of Operations at National Security, Richard Jakpa, however, has allegedly been seen in Akwatia with soldiers, reportedly intimidating residents.
“Upon this assurance by the IGP, we want to make it clear that any soldier seen involved in the Akwatia by-election will be considered as a thug and dealt with in like manner. I therefore call on President John Mahama as Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces to call Richard Jakpa to order,” he stressed.
Demands
He, therefore, called on the IGP to release the list of senior officers to be deployed to each of the polling stations at Akwatia and ensure that they wear official name tags for identification.
That, the Director of Communications indicated, would prevent the infiltration of members of the NDC who may want to cause mayhem under the guise of National Security operation.
“We make this reasonable request with the hindsight of the police brutalities on the nonviolent ‘Let My Vote Count Alliance’ demonstrators in September 2015, where several demonstrators were mercilessly assaulted and one lost his eye in the process. Drawing lessons from the Ablekuma North violence, the NPP will defend itself if the state fails to do so,” he added.
Tamale Central Election
The NPP Communications Director contrasted the party’s stance on the Akwatia election with its decision not to contest the upcoming Tamale Central by-election following the death of the constituency’s Member of Parliament (MP), Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed.
He said upon the tragic demise of the NDC MP for Tamale Central, the NPP in solidarity withdrew from contesting that seat, in honour of the late MP, to prevent unnecessary disturbances that often characterise such elections.
The Communications Director alleged that the NDC has, however, made efforts to create mayhem and terrorise potential voters during the Akwatia by-election, in a bid to annex the seat regardless of the events surrounding the MP’s death.
“The IGP should be fair and firm in enforcing law and order before, during, and after the polls, the party will hold him directly responsible should any violence occur. The recent spectacle of lopsided law enforcement threatens our hard-won and painstakingly maintained democracy, and must be eschewed in no uncertain terms,” he added.
Ernest Kumi, who was the Member of Parliament for Akwatia on the ticket of the NPP, died weeks after the Supreme Court overturned his conviction for contempt of court in an ongoing petition against his election in the 2024 parliamentary polls.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah