The Minority Caucus in Parliament has strongly condemned the acts of lawlessness and violence that transpired in the Ablekuma North Constituency during the re-run of Elections at 19 polling stations.
According to a statement released on Friday, July 11, 2025, they expressed deep concern over the recurring violence instigated by alleged thugs of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), reportedly led by the Deputy National Communication Officer, Malik Basintale, and the Deputy General Secretary of their party.
It highlighted that videos circulating online show these individuals inciting, directing, and ordering acts of violence during the Ablekuma North rerun election. It further lamented the failure of senior NDC officials to condemn such actions, thereby implicating themselves in the assault on Ghana’s democracy.
“These actions continue to erode the democratic process and deprive the people of Ablekuma North of their constitutional rights to parliamentary representation. The apparent complicity of the Ghana Police Service (GPS), which stood by unconcerned as these party thugs perpetrated disruptive and violent acts, is particularly egregious, especially given the threats issued by Malik Basintale yesterday at a rally where he openly encouraged their supporters to engage in such conduct.
“Equally reprehensible is the appearance of the Ministers of the Interior and Defence at polling stations. Their presence was nothing more than a public gimmick, designed to feign concern while masking their gross inaction amidst the thuggery,” it stated.
They noted several incidents reported during the rerun election in the Ablekuma North Constituency:
1. At St Peter’s polling station, NDC thugs physically assaulted the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate, Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, former Fisheries Minister Hawa Koomson, and Darkoa Newman, former Member of Parliament (MP) for Okaikwei South.
2. At the Church of Pentecost North Odorkor 2 polling station, a police officer slapped Mr Banahene Agyekum, a reporter with EIB Network, while he was covering the election.
3. At Awoshie DVLA polling station, NDC thugs dressed in brown uniforms, posing as security personnel, were apprehended by police after failing to provide identification.
4. NDC thugs engaged in confrontations with police at Asiedua Gyedu Memorial School 1 polling station, contributing to a tense and chaotic environment that threatened the safety of voters and electoral officials.
5. An assault occurred involving the Deputy National Organizer of the NPP, Chris Lloyed Nii Kwei Asamoah, at the hands of NDC thugs.
They pointed out that these incidents follow a troubling pattern of violence and irregularities that have plagued Ablekuma North since the December 2024 general elections, which included the destruction of electoral materials, missing pink sheets, and a fire at the Kwashieman Cluster of Schools.
“The Minority Caucus has consistently called for transparency, accountability, and adequate security to ensure a fair electoral process. Our petitions to the Ghana Police Service on 4th June 2025, and our protest in Parliament, highlighted the urgent need for action to resolve this impasse.
“We reiterate our condemnation of the Electoral Commission’s (EC) decision to conduct a rerun in 19 polling stations, which we perceive as inconsistent with earlier assurances that only three polling stations required collation to declare a winner.
“The sudden shift to a rerun, without adequate explanation, raises suspicions of interference and undermines public confidence in our electoral institutions.
“The Ghana Police Service must swiftly investigate the assaults on Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, Hawa Koomson, Banahene Agyekum, Chris Lloyed Nii Kwei Asamoah, as well as the NDC thugs impersonating security personnel, ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice.
“The Inspector General of Police must deploy adequate security measures to protect voters, the NPP candidate Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, journalists, and electoral officials, ensuring a safe environment for the completion of the electoral process.
“The continued disenfranchisement of Ablekuma North residents, who have been without parliamentary representation since 7th January 2025, is unacceptable. The EC and law enforcement must act decisively to restore the constituency’s voice in Parliament,” it explained.
They also called on the NDC to exercise restraint and refrain from actions that incite violence and create an atmosphere of insecurity. According to the statement, the people of Ablekuma North deserve a peaceful, transparent, and fair electoral process.
The Minority Caucus further urged civil society, the media, and the international community to closely monitor the situation and support efforts to uphold Ghana’s democratic credentials.
