No soldier must meddle in Akwatia by-election- NPP to Jakpa

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called on President John Dramani Mahama, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, to take urgent steps to prevent any attempt by Richard Jakpa to involve soldiers in the upcoming Akwatia by-election.

Addressing the media at the party’s headquarters at Asylum Down, on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, the Communications Directorate, Richard Ahiagbah cautioned that the presence of military personnel in the constituency could compromise the integrity of the electoral process.

“We therefore call on the President, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, and in whose responsibility the security of the state ultimately rests, to call Richard Jakpa to order and ensure that no soldier meddles in the Akwatia by-election,” he said.

He stressed that elections are a democratic exercise and must not be marred by undue intimidation or interference from state security agencies. He warned that any attempt to deploy soldiers to the constituency would be fiercely resisted, describing such acts as a direct threat to Ghana’s democracy.

Mr. Ahiagbah alleged that the NPP had “reliably been informed that the NDC has been training some of the thugs they deployed in the Ablekuma North Parliamentary rerun under the guise of National Security and intends to clandestinely clothe some in police uniform to be deployed during the by-election.”

He cautioned that the NDC and sections of the security establishment should not underestimate the vigilance of the NPP. “As a party that has just exited government in less than a year, we have our eyes and ears on them, knowing what the NDC is noted for,” he stated.

He insisted that every police officer on duty during the by-election must be properly identified. “We also request of the IGP that all police officers on duty for the election must wear their official name tag for easy identification and the avoidance of infiltration by disguised thugs,” he stressed.

Referencing past events, he recalled the police crackdown on demonstrators during the “Let My Vote Count Alliance” protest in September 2015.

“We make this reasonable request with the hindsight of the police brutalities on the nonviolent demonstrators, where several were trapped and mercilessly assaulted and one lost his eye in the process,” he said.