Campaign Grounds Turn Violent in Tain: NPP, NDC Face Off in Bloody Clash
As election fever grips Ghana, political rivalry threatens peace in key swing regions
- NDC supporters allegedly attacked an NPP rally
- Both parties accuse each other of provoking the incident
- Authorities are investigating the incident
A violent attack was reported in Tain, Bono Region, on Monday when gun-wielding thugs, allegedly affiliated with the National Democratic Congress (NDC), stormed a New Patriotic Party (NPP) campaign rally.
The incident occurred in the Brohani community, where the NPP’s National Zongo Campaign Team was holding a rally attended by chiefs, imams, community members, and NPP supporters.
According to reports, the NPP has been gaining ground in Tain, a constituency traditionally dominated by the NDC. This development has raised concerns about potential intimidation and violence. Tain is also the hometown of NDC Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah.
The attack is the latest in a series of clashes between supporters of the two major political parties in the region.
Speaking on the Ghana Se Sen Morning Show on Lawson TV/Radio with Kwame Tanko, both the Member of Parliament for Tain on the NDC ticket, Hon. Ramzy Adama Sulemana, and the NPP parliamentary candidate for the area, Hon. Alexander Ababio, shared their perspectives on the incident.
Hon. Adama Sulemana alleged that the NPP had blocked the exit route from the designated NDC campaign grounds by setting up tents and parking motorcycles, causing disruption.
“The NDC was campaigning at a location designated for rallies, but the NPP was at a place not permitted for campaigning. Their tents and motorcycles blocked the exit way. The NDC campaign ended successfully, and as we were leaving, we found the exit blocked with a rope. We did not touch anyone. The violence the NPP is causing here is too much,” he claimed.
He added, “The video circulating was recorded while we were exiting the grounds. The NPP program had already ended, and their executives had left. The canopies were not supposed to be there.”
In response, Hon. Ababio dismissed Hon. Adama Sulemana’s claims as falsehoods, accusing him of inciting violence in Tain.
“The MP is the main instigator of violence in Tain. During the voter registration exercise, he brought thugs from Wenchi to assault residents of Tain. He even caused disturbances in Techiman. The distance between the two campaign sites was over 400 meters, not 100 meters as he claims. Their supporters destroyed our canopies, motorcycles, and attacked our people,” Hon. Ababio countered.
He continued, “If you’re clearing a path, does that justify beating people with iron? He is a total failure as an MP, and the people of Tain have rejected him. We will uproot him like cassava.”
Hon. Ababio further revealed that some NPP supporters sustained injuries and were hospitalized. He stated that the matter has been reported to the police, and they are awaiting an official response.
However, he warned that the NPP would take action if the police failed to address the issue.
This incident highlights escalating political tensions in the constituency ahead of the elections, with both parties trading accusations of violence and intimidation.
