Political analyst, Dr. Abdul-Jalilu Ateku, has urged the Ghana Police Service to swiftly arrest and prosecute individuals involved in violent incidents during the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun, including former MP Hawa Koomson. Thugs stormed St. Peter’s polling station, assaulting several people, including Hawa Koomson, and temporarily halting voting until police restored calm.
Dr. Ateku expressed deep concern over the conduct of certain political actors, describing their behavior as a threat to Ghana’s democratic stability. “I think that especially the lady that was involved, we do know her history in Awutu Senya East where she said she discharged her gangs because of some safety issues,” Dr. Ateku said. “And here again she came to another electoral environment with a pepper spray, what was her motive? Is it the possibility of them having some weapons?”
He emphasised that individuals captured on video committing crimes should be apprehended. “As we are saying that people should be arrested, when you have people on video clearly committing certain crime, I think the police should have picked them up by now including the lady in question if only she is stable because once she went to the polling station with a weapon, that should be of interest to the police to know why.”
The incident has sparked growing public concern over electoral violence and impunity, particularly involving high-profile figures. The election was won by Ewurabena Aubynn of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) with 34,090 votes, narrowly defeating Nana Akua Afriyie of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who polled 33,881 votes.
