NPP Ashanti MPs Demand Safer Venue for Council of State Rerun Amid Fraud Fears

Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC) faces mounting pressure to relocate the Ashanti Region’s Council of State election rerun after violent disruptions marred the initial vote, sparking allegations of foul play and demands for heightened security.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary caucus in Ashanti has called for the poll to be held at the Kumasi Central Police Station, arguing that the move is critical to ensuring transparency and preventing a repeat of chaos witnessed during the February 11 attempt.

Led by Asante Mampong MP Kweku Apratwum Sarpong, the caucus warned that retaining the original venue risks further instability. “The first election collapsed into bedlam. To avoid another failure, we need a neutral, secure environment like the police station,” Sarpong insisted during a press briefing in Kumasi. His appeal follows clashes that forced the EC to annul the initial results, though details of the violence remain disputed.

The caucus also raised alarms over alleged attempts to manipulate the electoral roll ahead of the rerun, vowing to block any unauthorized changes. “We’re aware of clandestine efforts to alter the voter list. Such subversion will be fiercely resisted,” Sarpong added, without providing concrete evidence. The claims deepen tensions in a region pivotal to Ghana’s political landscape, with the Council of State role—a body advising the president—carrying significant symbolic and procedural weight.

The Council of State election, typically a low-key affair, has become a flashpoint in Ashanti, a stronghold of the ruling NPP. Critics argue the fracas reflects deeper party rivalries, as factions jostle for influence ahead of the 2024 general elections. The NPP’s push for a police-supervised vote signals eroding trust in the EC’s ability to manage disputes independently, a concern amplified by Ghana’s history of electoral tensions.

The EC has yet to respond publicly to the demands, leaving local assemblies in limbo. An anonymous EC official hinted that logistical constraints could complicate venue changes but acknowledged the need for “urgent measures to restore credibility.”

Ghana’s electoral integrity has long been a point of pride in West Africa, but recurring clashes over local polls risk tarnishing its reputation. For the NPP, securing a peaceful rerun is not just about filling a Council seat—it’s a test of its capacity to govern its heartland cohesively. Opposition observers, however, accuse the party of inflaming tensions to sideline rivals, a charge the NPP denies.

As the EC weighs its options, the standoff underscores a fragile balance: ensuring security without conceding to perceptions of political interference. For voters in Ashanti, the rerun’s success may hinge on whether the commission can rise above the fray—or become its latest casualty.