The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fifi Kwetey, has condemned the recent attack on former Fisheries Minister Mavis Hawa Koomson and NPP parliamentary candidate Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, describing the violence as “absolutely unacceptable” regardless of its origin.

In a with TV3, Kwetey addressed widespread allegations circulating on social media suggesting that NDC members were behind the assault at Ablekuma North’s St. Peter’s polling station.

“Whichever way, whether it’s NDC, NPP, it’s just absolutely unacceptable,” he stated firmly. “We are in office, so even if it were coming from the other side, at the end of the day, we are definitely going to be held accountable for it. So, I would just urge for restraint.”

Kwetey acknowledged that deep-seated grievances and past incidents continue to fuel tensions among party supporters. He referenced incidents involving Hawa Koomson in previous elections, including allegations of intimidation and violence, as possible sources of lingering anger.

“I know that some of the things that have happened in the past, people still are having issues — what happened in Awutu Senya, what happened in Hawa Koomson’s election, holding down and threatening people,” he said. “So naturally, people are angry about those things. If you’re not careful, it tends to spill a bit into it.”

While some critics online have argued that Koomson “deserves” the attack, Kwetey rejected such thinking, cautioning against retaliatory attitudes and emphasising the need to learn lessons from past mistakes.

“Her past is not one that we should encourage. I mean, wielding guns and stuff like that in police stations is nothing good,” he noted. “Let’s just say that across the divide, we both learn in order for us to be able to conduct elections peacefully.”

He stressed that both parties and their supporters must exercise restraint and prioritise calm to ensure peaceful electoral processes.

Looking ahead to the final outcome of the Ablekuma North rerun, Kwetey expressed cautious optimism but urged NDC supporters to remain focused and continue mobilising.

“It’s still hours to go,” he said. “So, I would say we are urging our people to make sure we come out in order to make sure at the end of the polls, we have enough numbers to be able to take the seat.”

Hawa Koomson and Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, as well as journalists, were assaulted at the St. Peter’s polling station in Ablekuma North during a parliamentary election rerun earlier today. Unidentified men stormed the centre, attacking disrupting voting and sparking fear among voters. The motive behind the attack remains unclear, and investigations are ongoing.

The remarks from the NDC General Secretary add a measured voice to the heated debate surrounding the violence at Ablekuma North, underscoring the urgent need for calm and collective responsibility as Ghana strives to protect the integrity of its democratic processes.