The Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mustapha Gbande, has said that any acts of violence during the Akwatia by-election will be met with equal resistance.
Mustapha Gbande confidently stated that violence begets violence.
Speaking in a conversation on Citi Eyewitness News, Mustapha Gbande stated, “We won’t bring violence here. NDC is not a violent party, but on the 2nd of September, if anybody decides to come to the town or the voting grounds with violence, they will come, but they will not know how to leave. Violence begets violence”.
Mr. Gbande further charged supporters, saying, “Let us go in our numbers to conduct thorough work. Let us encourage the people to vote for our candidate. We can’t win this election if we don’t go out to work. Let us be encouraged”.
The NDC man revealed that they are encouraging their supporters that violence will not be part of the upcoming Akwatia by-election.
He, however, reiterated that the NDC will not watch for its members to be victims of violence.
“The conversation we are having was to the extent that at no point will the NDC encourage any of our supporters… violence will not be part of the election, but just in case anybody foments violence, we will not watch for members to be victims.
“We will descend, protect any single member of the NDC that will participate in this election. We will protect the vote… that is what my statement means”, Mustapha Gbende emphasised.
Richard Ahiagbah, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Director of Communications, has said any soldier involved in the Akwatia by-election will be dealt with as a thug.
According to Richard Ahiagbah, the NPP has received credible intelligence indicating that the NDC plans to hide behind the guise of national security to terrorise some residents and voters in Akwatia.
He noted that the Ghana Police has already deployed 5,000 officers to manage security in the constituency, and also the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has said the military is not needed to maintain order during the by-election.
Richard Ahiagbah further alleged that the Director of Special Operations at the National Security Secretariat, Richard Jakpa, is moving around Akwatia with soldiers, threatening indigenes.
Speaking to the media in Accra on Wednesday, August 27, Richard Ahiagbah stated, NDC plans to “hide behind the guise of national security to terrorise some residents and voters in Akwatia.”
“Richard Jakpa has reportedly been perambulating Akwatia with soldiers, threatening some indigenes and residents to leave the town before the by-election in their own interest,” he claimed.
“We want to make it abundantly clear that any soldier involved in the Akwatia by-election will be considered and dealt with as a thug,” he declared.
Richard Ahiagbah further called on President John Mahama to call Richard Jakpa to order.
“We urge the President, under whose watch national security falls, to call Richard Jakpa to order and ensure that no soldier meddles in the Akwatia by-election,” Ahiagbah said.
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has issued a stern warning ahead of the Akwatia by-election on September 2.
The IGP revealed that the Ghana Police Service has the men and their eyes are red, so nobody should think of coming to cause trouble.
The IGP assured the public of the Ghana Police Service’s readiness to provide a safe Akwatia by-election.
IGP Yohuno gave the assurance after the Police Management Board (POMAB) visited the High-Risk Operation Training Centre at Akyerematen on Wednesday, August 20, 2025.
Speaking to recruits at the Police Training School at Kyerematen in the Eastern Region, IGP Yohonu stated, “During the Akwatia by-election, if you come with arms, we (Police) will deal with you with arms.
We have brought men here, and they are trained on how to handle arms. As we are going to the election ground, we decided to come and sharpen our skills for the by-election.
Today, they will move to Akwatia and assess all the threats just to let the country know that we are ready for the election, and all the threats we hear from social media have given us the room to prepare and to remove fear for the electorate in Akwatia that nobody can come here to cause any trouble,” he said.