BY Issah Olegor
As the September 2 Akwatia by-election draws closer, the political atmosphere in the Eastern Region constituency has become increasingly tense, with both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) trading accusations of intimidation and plotting violence.
On Wednesday, August 27, the NPP raised fresh concerns over alleged military involvement in the upcoming polls.
Addressing a press conference in Accra, the party’s Director of Communications, Richard Ahiagbah, warned that any attempt by soldiers to interfere in the electoral process would be treated as an act of thuggery.
According to Ahiagbah, the NPP has picked up what it described as “credible intelligence” that the NDC is planning to use national security operatives disguised as soldiers to intimidate voters and disrupt the election.
He singled out Richard Jakpa, the newly appointed Director of Operations at the National Security Secretariat, accusing him of moving around the constituency with soldiers and allegedly issuing threats to residents.
“Richard Jakpa has reportedly been perambulating Akwatia with soldiers, threatening some indigenes and residents to leave the town before the by-election in their own interest,” Ahiagbah alleged.
He insisted that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) had already deployed 5,000 police officers to ensure order on election day, making military intervention unnecessary.
The NPP further called on President John Dramani Mahama, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, to intervene immediately and ensure that the military does not get entangled in what is expected to be a highly competitive by-election.
“We urge the President to call Richard Jakpa to order and ensure that no soldier meddles in the Akwatia by-election,” Ahiagbah stressed.
But the NDC has not taken the accusations lightly. The party’s Deputy General Secretary, Mustapha Gbande, countered with a strong warning of his own, stating that the NDC would resist any attempt to intimidate its supporters.
“NDC is not a violent party, but on September 2, if anybody decides to come to the town or the voting grounds with violence, they will come, but they will not know how to leave,” Gbande declared.
The exchanges between the two parties highlight the stakes involved in the Akwatia contest.
Historically, the constituency has been a swing seat, alternating between the NPP and NDC in past elections.
This makes the by-election, triggered by the sudden vacancy in Parliament, one of the most closely watched races in recent years.
The contest will see the NPP’s Solomon Kwame Asumadu face off against the NDC’s Bernard Bediako.
With the constituency known for its volatile political history and razor-thin margins, both parties are pulling out all the stops to secure victory.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service has assured the public of its readiness to provide a safe and peaceful environment for voters.
The police have cautioned political parties to avoid inflammatory rhetoric and pledged to clamp down on any acts of violence.
