The parliamentary rerun in Ablekuma North Constituency, held on Friday, July 11, 2025, was expected to bring clarity to a long-standing electoral impasse.

However, instead of a smooth and orderly process, the election was marked by a series of troubling incidents, ranging from vote buying allegations and assaults to technical challenges like missing names from the voters register.

The rerun was necessitated by unresolved disputes during the December 7, 2024, general elections, where results from 19 polling stations were deemed unauthenticated.

According to the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC), NPP’s candidate, Naa Akua Afriyie, was leading with a slim margin of 48 votes over NDC candidate Ewurabena Aubynn.

With over 6,800 votes at stake in the rerun, the outcome had the potential to shift the parliamentary majority in favour of the opposition, a factor that added considerable tension to the poll.

As voting commenced across the 19 designated polling centres, allegations of vote buying quickly surfaced, particularly from members of the opposition NDC.

However, the Greater Accra Regional Minister Linda, Akweley Ocloo, refuted these claims, stating that funds distributed were transport reimbursements for voters.

She argued that reimbursing transport expenses for voters was not unethical and could not compromise the electoral process.

Arrival of thugs, confusion

A group of unidentified men, described as thugs or “macho men” stormed some voting centres. Arriving in a pickup truck and motorbikes, these macho men caused panic and chaotic scenes.

Videos gone viral on social media captured these thugs slapping and hitting some persons including journalists and political figures.

Alleged missing names:

Amid this chaos, logistical setbacks further frustrated voters. Some could not find their names in the register while others were redirected to other centres to cast their ballot.

Journalists assaulted

The rerun also saw disturbing scenes of violence against media personnel, with several journalists assaulted while covering events at various polling stations.

Kwabena Agyekum Banahene of the EIB Network, Salomey Martey of the Multimedia Group, and Vida Wiafe of Amansan TV (ATV) were all victims of the assaults.

The Ghana Journalists Association, in that regard, have condemned such acts and is seeking justice for the victims.



Storming of voting centres by thugs

Tensions escalated dramatically at the St. Peter’s Society Methodist Church polling station in Odorkor, part of the Ablekuma North constituency.

The electoral rerun was violently disrupted when a group of unidentified “macho men” stormed the premises in coordinated fashion, arriving in a pickup truck accompanied by multiple motorbikes, forcing panic among voters, electoral personnel and security forces.

Eye‐witnesses report that the assailants overpowered the security detail and launched an assault on several political figures, including former MP and ex‐Fisheries Minister Mavis Hawa Koomson.

Disturbing video footage shows her being forced to the ground and reportedly stomped in the chest and groin area before officers intervened.

Other victims included NPP parliamentary candidate Nana Akua Afriyie and a female party agent, both reportedly injured amid the turmoil.

Hawa Koomson, NPP's Nana Akua Afriyie assaulted:

Chaos broke out at Odorkor Methodist 1 Polling Station after some unidentified men stormed a polling station. Eyewitnesses claim that the assailants arrived at the voting centre in a pickup vehicle, forcefully entered the premises, and overpowered the police officers stationed there.

Former Awutu Senya East MP, Mavis Hawa Koomson was seen in a viral video being pushed to the ground and stomped in the groin and chest.

The NPP candidate, Nana Akua Afriyie was also assaulted.



Bissiw justifies attack on Hawa Koomson

National Women’s Organiser of the NDC, Dr Hanna Louisa Bissiw, in an interview with the media justified the physical assault on the former fisheries minister, Hawa Koomson.

According to her, she had been a victim of violence orchestrated by the former minister, therefore, “violence begets violence.”

After all these occurrences, NDC's Ewurabena Aubynn was declared the MP-elect for Ablekuma Constituency.



Speaking to the media after being declared winner of the elections, she said; “A win was expected because we fought so hard.”

When asked about the pockets of violent activities recorded during the polls and assault on Hawa Koomson, the MP-elect noted that she is not aware of such incidents as she was busy moving around polling stations.

However, she urged the police to look into the chaos and take action against perpetrators.

With this win, the National Democratic Congress caucus in parliament has an absolute majority in the House.