The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has issued a strong warning over the escalating political hostility and institutional lapses that marred the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun, cautioning that Ghana’s democratic stability is at risk if decisive corrective action is not taken.
In a statement signed by Joseph Oti Frimpong, Coordinator of the CODEO Secretariat, the coalition decried the violence, inflammatory rhetoric, and apparent security failures that undermined the integrity of the July 11 polls. The organisation described the events as a reflection of deeper systemic issues threatening the health of Ghana’s electoral democracy.
“It is clear that political party actors are unwilling to learn from the many years of election violence outcomes and the many victims it has produced in the Fourth Republic,” the statement noted, pointing fingers at both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for fanning post-election tensions with provocative remarks.
Beyond the political class, CODEO expressed disappointment in the police’s handling of events on the ground, describing their conduct as inadequate and calling for institutional accountability at the highest level.
To this end, the coalition has called on President John Dramani Mahama and the Police Council to invoke their constitutional authority under Article 202(2) to review and investigate the Inspector General of Police’s oversight during the election rerun.
“This must be done urgently to ensure clear remedial actions are taken ahead of the upcoming bye-election in Akwatia,” the group stressed, warning that failure to act could embolden further violence and damage public confidence in law enforcement.
CODEO’s concerns come amid growing public unease over the post-2024 electoral climate, which remains fragile following a tense presidential transition and isolated incidents of unrest.
The group warned that Ghana’s increasingly “toxic political culture” is corroding trust in democratic institutions, and urged political leaders, security forces, and civil society to treat the upcoming Akwatia by-election as a turning point.
“If left unchecked, this dangerous political environment could overwhelm us all and destabilise Ghana’s young democracy,” the coalition warned.
With the Akwatia by-election fast approaching, CODEO insists that all stakeholders must rise to the moment—not just to conduct a peaceful poll, but to restore faith in Ghana’s democratic process.
