Chaos marred the parliamentary rerun exercise at the St. Peter’s Society Methodist Church polling centre in Odorkor, Ablekuma North, after a group of unidentified macho men stormed the area, disrupting the voting process and assaulting former Awutu Senya East MP, Mavis Hawa Koomson.
Eyewitnesses reported that the assailants arrived in a coordinated fashion some in a pickup truck and others on motorbikes causing widespread panic among voters and electoral officials present at the scene.
Despite the Electoral Commission’s deployment of a reinforced security presence to maintain calm at the various polling centers, the intervention at the affected location failed to prevent the incident.
Information gathered indicates that Madam Hawa Koomson attempted to disperse the aggressive crowd with pepper spray, but the attempt was unsuccessful. It remains unclear what provoked the confrontation.
A video circulating on social media shows the former Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister on the ground as several individuals rush toward her.
She was eventually helped to her feet by police officers on duty.
The Electoral Commission and security services have yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
Meanwhile, the incident has raised concerns over the safety of political figures and the integrity of the ongoing rerun.
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