NDC is the party training thugs to rig the elections – NPP responds to allegations

The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has strongly dismissed claims made by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), which alleged that the party has conspired with Brigadier General Michael Kwadwo Opoku, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Central Command of the Ghana Armed Forces, to rig the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections.

At a press conference on Tuesday, 19th November, the NDC’s National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, claimed that Brigadier General Opoku, under the direction of President Akufo-Addo, has devised a detailed strategy to manipulate the choice of voters.

According to Gyamfi, the alleged plan involves ballot stuffing, the swapping of ballot boxes, the exchange of pink sheets, and other covert activities. This scheme, he said, is set to begin with the special voting exercise on 2nd December. He further asserted that the plot was devised in exchange for the position of Chief of Defence Staff should the NPP’s presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, win the election.

In a counter-press conference held on Wednesday, 20th November, the NPP’s National Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye (popularly known as Nana B), rejected these allegations as baseless and unsubstantiated. Instead, he claimed that it is the NDC that is plotting to rig the elections.

Information available to the NPP shows that several months ago, the NDC began training thugs in various communities, including the Obuasi East constituency. These individuals are being trained under the guise of private security to disrupt the electoral process, particularly in the Ashanti region, which is a stronghold of the NPP.

We have also discovered plans by the NDC to use ambulances to transport weapons to these thugs on elections day. This deceitful strategy will also not work under our watch. Additionally, on elections day, the NDC plan to deploy tax on motorbikes to shoot indiscriminately in NPP stronghold with the aim of creating fear and panic to suppress voter turnout and to disrupt the counting process.

Nana B named retired Commissioner of Police Nathan Kofi Boakye as the mastermind behind the NDC’s alleged election-rigging plot, accusing him of attempting to create insecurity on Election Day.

Their press conference is part of a broader strategy to create unnecessary tension, fear, and panic in the Ashanti region by manufacturing an atmosphere of insecurity. In doing so, the NDC is tarnishing the hard-earned reputation of Brigadier General Opoku and the Central Command of the Ghana Armed Forces. Such baseless attacks on the integrity of the Armed Forces are reckless and dangerous.

In his statement, Nana B reaffirmed the NPP’s commitment to a peaceful election on 7th December 2024.