Dennis Miracles Aboagye, aide to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has sharply criticised the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana over its decision to rerun parliamentary elections in 19 polling stations in the hotly contested Ablekuma North Constituency.
Describing the move as a “dangerous precedent,” Aboagye warned that the EC’s action could undermine future elections and embolden politically motivated disruptions across the country.
“What this Ablekuma North scenario is saying is that when you conduct an election in this country and one party feels that they have lost… they can besiege the collation centre, tear apart election materials, and cause confusion, then call for a rerun,” Aboagye said in an interview on Channel One TV.
The EC’s decision has deepened tensions between the two main political parties, with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) signalling its readiness to contest the rerun, while the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has vowed to boycott it entirely.
The NPP insists their candidate, Nana Akua Afriyie, won the December 2024 parliamentary contest with a 414-vote margin. The party accuses the EC of acting in contempt of a court order and attempting to subvert the will of the people.
“Our candidate won based on facts and figures,” said Justin Kodua Frimpong, NPP General Secretary. “We will not legitimise any rerun. We call on the EC to follow the court’s directive and declare Nana Akua Afriyie as the elected Member of Parliament.”
Aboagye echoed that sentiment, warning that accepting such actions could destabilise Ghana’s democracy.
“If we allow this, it means in any stronghold, be it NDC or NPP, opponents could simply disrupt the process, destroy materials, and trigger a rerun. This is a bad precedent for all of us,” he cautioned.
The EC has yet to formally respond to the NPP’s boycott threat, but pressure continues to mount as constituents in Ablekuma North and political observers across the country await clarity.
