BY Nadia Ntiamoah
The Effutu Municipal Assembly has strongly condemned comments made by Chief Sofo Azorka, a Vice Chairman of National Democratic Congress (NDC), against the Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, during the Akwatia Constituency by-election.
In a press statement signed by the Presiding Member, Yakubu Quansah, the assembly described Azorka’s remarks as “reckless and dangerous,” stressing that such threats undermine Ghana’s democratic process.
The assembly expressed shock at the comments, noting that Afenyo-Markin, who also serves as leader of the Minority in Parliament, deserves respect and protection as a public officer and a promoter of peace and development.
The controversy erupted on Tuesday, September 2, when Afenyo-Markin allegedly paid an unannounced visit to the NDC party office in Akwatia.
His presence reportedly sparked heated exchanges between his entourage and NDC members, who accused him of interfering in their activities.
According to reports, some NDC supporters alleged that Afenyo-Markin’s team attempted to remove posters of their candidate, a claim the NPP has denied.
In response, Azorka lashed out, accusing the opposition party of employing intimidation tactics. He warned Afenyo-Markin against further “provocation” and threatened that “a by-election will be held in his constituency if he tried anything.”
His comments were widely interpreted as a direct threat on the Effutu MP’s safety.
The Effutu Municipal Assembly has since petitioned the Ghana Police Service and the Speaker of Parliament, urging authorities to launch a full investigation and take action against Azorka to deter similar incidents in future.
“Threats of violence intimidate public officials, erode trust in institutions, and have no place in Ghana’s democracy,” the statement emphasized.
The by-election itself was triggered by the death of the late Ernest Yaw Kumi, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Akwatia.
The contest has been highly charged, with both the NPP and NDC deploying top officials to rally support at the constituency’s 119 polling stations, where more than 50,000 voters were expected to cast their ballots.
Police have confirmed at least one arrest related to the disturbances, though they assured the public of their readiness to maintain order and ensure a peaceful voting process.
