MP Ekow Assafuah Dismisses Mahama’s Call for Investigation into Electoral Fatalities as Political Ploy

Ekow Assafuah, the Member of Parliament for Old-Tafo in the Ashanti Region, has dismissed President John Dramani Mahama’s directive for an investigation into electoral fatalities during the 2020 and 2024 general elections, labeling it as a political maneuver designed to sway public opinion.

Speaking on Oyerepa TV, Assafuah accused Mahama of using the call for an investigation as a propaganda tactic aimed at discrediting the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration. “This directive by Mahama is nothing more than a calculated attempt to gain favour with Ghanaians,” Assafuah asserted. “It’s a propaganda tactic aimed at painting the previous NPP administration as negligent, creating the impression that we failed to act on such tragic incidents.”

The fatalities, which occurred during and after the elections, resulted in the loss of nearly ten lives, fueling widespread calls for accountability. In response, Mahama appealed to the Inspector General of Police, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to investigate these deaths, reigniting debates about the integrity of Ghana’s electoral process and voter safety.

However, Assafuah challenged this narrative, pointing out that members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), including Samuel Ablakwa and Emmanuel Armah Buah, had previously petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the incidents during their time in office. “Both Ablakwa and Emmanuel Armah Buah petitioned CHRAJ during our time in office, and investigations were initiated,” he remarked. “Why is the NDC now pretending as if nothing was done?”

Assafuah further accused Mahama of using his popular support as a platform to portray an image of responsiveness rather than genuinely seeking justice. “This is not about justice or the safety of citizens; it’s about scoring political points,” he asserted.

The directive from Mahama has been praised by some as a necessary step toward justice for the victims, but others, like Assafuah, view it as a façade with ulterior political motives, suggesting that it is less about accountability and more about positioning Mahama ahead of the next election cycle.