The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has accused the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of establishing a vigilante group to disrupt the December 2024 elections, particularly in strongholds of the NPP.
At a press conference held at the party’s headquarters in Accra on Wednesday, November 20, the NPP’s National Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye, also known as Nana B, alleged that the NDC has been training individuals under the guise of private security to execute plans aimed at destabilizing the electoral process.
“Information available to the NPP reveals that several months ago, the NDC has been training thugs in various communities, including Obuasi East constituency, under the guise of private security training. These individuals are being prepared to disturb the electoral process, particularly in the Ashanti Region, which is the NPP’s stronghold,” Nana B stated.
Nana B further accused the NDC of collaborating with illegal miners to sow chaos during the elections.
“The NDC committee on mining, led by one Tony Aubynn, former Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, held a secret meeting with some NDC-affiliated small-scale miners at the conference hall of Mawuli Hotel in the Obuasi West municipality. One of the aims of the meeting was to recruit members of pro-NDC small-scale miners to form part of the NDC’s Eagle Force vigilante group, which will be deployed to some NPP polling stations with the intention of causing mayhem on election day,” he alleged.
The NPP also accused the NDC of planning to arm these vigilante groups and using state resources to facilitate their activities.
“Our intelligence indicates that the NDC is transporting weapons using state ambulances to distribute to these thugs across various communities,” Nana B alleged.
Additionally, Nana B claimed the NDC intends to create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation in NPP strongholds by fueling incidents of kidnapping and armed robbery.
“These deceitful strategies will not work under our watch,” he emphasized, assuring that the NPP would safeguard the electoral process against such actions.
The NPP’s claims came in response to allegations made by the NDC during a press briefing the day before.
At their press conference, the NDC’s National Communication Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, announced plans to petition the Inspector General of Police, expressing concerns about a potential plot to rig the elections in favor of the ruling party.
The NDC accused the government of using a top military officer in charge of the Central Command of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to orchestrate plans for election manipulation in the Ashanti Region. They alleged that this officer, involved in the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence, had been promoted instead of being sanctioned as recommended by a commission that investigated the incident.
The NPP, however, dismissed these accusations, maintaining their stance that the NDC’s alleged actions were aimed at undermining the upcoming elections.