A senior official of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) of deploying party-aligned operatives to intimidate voters in Tuesday’s parliamentary by-election in the Eastern Region's Akwatia Constituency.
Rashid Tanko Computer, Deputy Director of Elections and IT for the NDC, alleged that the NPP has brought in “thugs” to disrupt the electoral process, despite a heavy police presence. The Ghana Police Service has dispatched more than 5,000 officers across the constituency in a bid to ensure a peaceful vote following the recent death of sitting MP Ernest Kumi.
“We just had intelligence this morning,” Mr. Tanko said in an interview with Channel One TV. “The NPP has brought some thugs, put them in a location, and national security is on their heels… It won’t be long, they’ll be rounded up.”
The by-election, seen as a high-stakes contest ahead of the 2028 general elections, has drawn national attention. Over 50,000 registered voters are expected to participate across 119 polling stations, choosing between the NDC’s Bernard Bediako Baidoo and the NPP’s Solomon Kwame Asumadu.
While authorities have urged calm, Mr. Tanko suggested the NPP does not fully trust the police, citing what he described as past irregularities during the Ablekuma North by-election re-run. He reassured voters that national security agencies were monitoring the situation and prepared to act decisively.
“Nobody is going to be allowed to intimidate anybody here. Allow the voters to do their work,” he said, calling on residents to turn out in large numbers and promising their safety at the polls.
The Electoral Commission has not responded publicly to the allegation, but has previously assured the public of a credible and transparent process.
