The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers—CODEO—is condemning acts of violence, intimidation, and vote buying that marred last Friday’s rerun of the Ablekuma North Constituency elections.
Although CODEO did not deploy its own observers to the 19 affected polling stations, the group says reports from both traditional and social media revealed major security breaches. These included attacks on voters, journalists, and two female politicians.
CODEO’s Coordinator, Joseph Oti Frimpong, in a signed statement, commended the Ghana Police Service for interdicting an officer accused of assaulting a journalist. But urged the police to investigate and prosecute all perpetrators quickly to deter future misconduct.
The coalition also took a swipe at leading figures of the NDC and the NPP, accusing them of using inflammatory language that, according to CODEO, undermines Ghana’s democratic progress.
CODEO singled out the St. Peter’s Society Polling Station at Odorkor, where it says security personnel failed to act when thugs stormed the centre.
The group is calling on President John Mahama and the Police Council to launch an inquiry into the conduct of the officers on duty and to take urgent action to restore public trust ahead of the Akwatia by-election.
CODEO says it remains committed to pushing for reforms that ensure peaceful, transparent, and inclusive elections across the country.
