The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has blamed its defeat in the Akwatia by-election on alleged acts of violence and intimidation by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), led by its National Vice Chairman, Sofo Azorka.
Speaking on Joy News on Wednesday, monitored by Kumasi Mail, the NPP’s Director of Communications, Richard Ahiagbah, claimed that the conduct of Sofo Azorka and his supporters created fear and panic among voters, ultimately reducing turnout and affecting the party’s performance.
“Sofo Azorka, NDC’s National Vice Chairman, in a very violent way, accosted an individual who had not said anything to him except to give an interview or share his view. And then his people slapped him,” Ahiagbah alleged. “Today, as we speak, he’s home, probably watching us on TV, and we are wondering, what is this?”
Mr. Ahiagbah argued that the incident was not an isolated act but had wider implications for the electoral process. He said such violence heightened tensions in Akwatia, discouraged voter participation, and undermined the NPP’s chances of securing victory.
“We believe that our victory lay in turnout, and if people had come out in the manner we anticipated, we would have won that election,” he stated. He further accused the NDC of pursuing a “systematic effort” to suppress the vote.
The by-election was triggered by the sudden death of Ernest Kumi, the NPP’s Member of Parliament for Akwatia. It was won by the NDC’s Bernard Bediako.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
