Tensions erupted on Sunday afternoon in Mankranso, the district capital of the Ahafo Ano South West constituency in the Ashanti Region, as a group of aggrieved youth from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) launched a protest against their party’s leadership.
The protest turned violent when demonstrators targeted the NDC’s local office, setting fire to party assets, including a television and chairs, in a show of anger over what they perceive as a betrayal of their parliamentary candidate, Sedik Abubakar. The protestors were clear in their belief that the election result in the parliamentary race had been manipulated.
“We know Sedik won, but the leadership handed the seat to the NPP on a silver platter,” one of the protesters was heard saying, with others voicing their frustrations over what they feel was a stolen victory.
The trigger for the protest stems from the results of the parliamentary election, in which the Electoral Commission declared Elvis Osei Mensah Dapaah of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as the winner. In a recount held on December 21, 2024, Dapaah secured 16,680 votes, narrowly edging out Abubakar, who received 16,540 votes—just 140 votes separating the two candidates.
Despite the official count, the protesting youth remain unconvinced, accusing NDC leadership at all levels of negligence and even conspiracy, which they believe led to their candidate’s defeat. Their anger has boiled over into threats against party officials, warning that they will face severe consequences if they return to the constituency.
The unrest reflects the deep dissatisfaction and disillusionment brewing within the NDC ranks in the region, and it raises serious questions about the party’s internal handling of the election results.