Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, has sharply criticised Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga for remarks he made downplaying the violence that occurred during the recent electoral rerun in Ablekuma North.
Ayariga had referred to the disturbances in Ablekuma North as “child’s play” compared to what he described as more serious incidents in his own constituency. This characterisation drew backlash from opposition MPs, who deemed it dismissive and insensitive to victims of electoral violence.
Baffour Awuah responded on the floor of Parliament, stating that Ayariga’s language did not reflect the government’s stated commitment to resetting Ghana’s political culture. He argued that describing the Ablekuma incident in such terms undermined efforts to address electoral misconduct.
The controversy intensified when NDC’s Felix Kwakye Ofosu also weighed in, pointing to specific incidents of violence—including reports of assault on a journalist and a woman—as evidence that the matter was far from trivial. He criticised the Majority Leader’s comments as contradictory to the government’s pledge to foster a new political era based on accountability and reform.
