President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has condemned the violence that abrupted Thursday’s by-election at the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency.

The violence at the La Bawaleshie Presby School polling centre resulted in the assault on Ningo-Prampram MP, Samuel George by masked men in police vehicles. The attack has been condemned by the opposition NDC, civil society and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

After a long silence, however, President Akufo-Addo in a statement said “The isolated incident of violence, which occurred in the early stages of the election, was unfortunate and regrettable, and I condemn it in no uncertain terms.”

“A by-election should be a peaceful and happy event, no matter how competitive. The Police is committed to conducting a rapid inquiry into the matter, and I expect all persons who are found culpable, at the end of the process, to face the full rigours of the law,” he added.

In response to former president John Mahama’s warning that the NDC will meet the NPP “boot for boot” during the 2020 general elections, President Akufo-Addo said his party ” never dream of competing with any other political party in unleashing violence on the Ghanaian people.”

The statement added that the governing NPP’s policy as espoused by the founding father is “to liberate the energies of the people for the growth of a property-owning democracy in this land, with right to life, freedom and justice as the principles to which the Government and laws of the land should be dedicated in order specifically to enrich life, property and liberty of each and every citizen”, and that is what my Government is doing.”

President Akufo-Addo congratulated the newly-elected MP Lydia Alhassan who won the polls by a staggering 68.95 percent.

The President is confident that Madam Alhassan who is the wife of the late Kyeremanten Agyarko will serve the interests of her constituents with distinction in Parliament.

Below is a copy of the full statement:

PRESIDENT AKUFO-ADDO CONGRATULATES LYDIA SEYRAM ALHASSAN, MP-ELECT FOR AYAWASO WEST WUOGON

I congratulate Lydia Seyram Alhassan on her emphatic victory in Thursday’s by-election, in the constituency. The electorate in the constituency has made an excellent choice, and I am confident she will serve their interests in Parliament with distinction.

The isolated incident of violence, which occurred in the early stages of the election, was unfortunate and regrettable, and I condemn it in no uncertain terms. A by-election should be a peaceful and happy event, no matter how competitive. The Police is committed to conducting a rapid inquiry into the matter, and I expect all persons who are found culpable, at the end of the process, to face the full rigours of the law.

It is important also to state that the New Patriotic Party, the party from which my Government was born, would never dream of competing with any other political party in unleashing violence on the Ghanaian people. Our policy, as espoused by the founding father of our political tradition, is “to liberate the energies of the people for the growth of a property-owning democracy in this land, with right to life, freedom and justice as the principles to which the Government and laws of the land should be dedicated in order specifically to enrich life, property and liberty of each and every citizen”, and that is what my Government is doing.

I commend the Electoral Commission for the professionalism it displayed in conducting a free, fair, transparent and credible election, despite the isolated challenge it faced.

The Ghanaian people have, again, demonstrated to the world their deep attachment to the principles of democratic accountability and the rule of law. Ghana’s democracy is robust, and will only grow from strength to strength.

Signed,

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo