National Security Storms GRASAG Elections with AK-47- NDC’s Opare Addo fingered

The Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana (GRASAG) is calling for a full investigation into allegations that National Security operatives interfered in its recent national elections, with accusations directed at the National Youth Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), George Opare Addo.

Reports suggest that National Security personnel, allegedly acting on Mr. Opare Addo’s orders through the NDC Youth Wing’s Director of Operations, Bernard Dartey alias Kawawa, and Warrant Officer Class 1 (WO1) Yakubu, stormed the election venue at Ensign Global University in Kpong on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.

Witnesses say the operatives were armed with AK-47 and scorpion rifles and allegedly intimidated students and disrupted the voting process.

According to graduate students, the operatives’ primary objective was to ensure a victory for Jimmy Mawuse Adangbe, one of the three presidential candidates, against his opponents Baba Suleman and Favour Aikins.

Allegations also implicate individuals associated with the youth wing, including Director of Students Affairs, Bright Baah Egyir, Richard Class-Peters, Sharif Mohammed Ayedakew and Anthony Baah Danquah, who were reportedly armed with fully loaded pistol.

Some NDC activists dressed in military uniforms, reportedly under Bernard Dartey’s command, are also alleged to have assisted in obstructing voting and intimidating students.

Eyewitness accounts and video footage suggest that armed security personnel stood by ballot boxes as students cast their votes. Some security operatives allegedly fired warning shots to instill fear, vandalized election materials, and prevented students from accessing the premises to vote.

Among the institutions reportedly barred by the security operative from participating in the election were: University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Institute of Local Government Studies, University of Health, and Allied Sciences (UHAS), Ensign Global University, the host institution.

GRASAG leadership has condemned the interference, calling it “unwarranted and alarming.” According to the association, unarmed police officers, who had been formally invited to provide security, were sidelined by the heavily armed operatives. The police reportedly stated that they neither requested reinforcements nor invited National Security personnel to the venue.

Two vehicles identified at the scene were, a white Nissan Hardbody pickup with registration number AP 566-24 and a military pickup with registration number 44 GA 33.

Students who were preparing for breakfast before the elections were reportedly taken by surprise by the aggressive arrival of the armed operatives.

The events have sparked widespread concern, with many drawing parallels to the 2019 Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence, where National Security operatives led by DSP Samuel Azugu were accused of attacking civilians. At the time, former President John Mahama and civil society groups strongly condemned the incident.

Some students are now questioning why similar tactics are being deployed under Mr. Mahama’s leadership.

“When DSP Azugu led armed men to attack civilians at Ayawaso West Wuogon, we all condemned it,” said student Richard Ansah. “Why is this happening again under John Mahama’s government? We demand answers!”

Amid growing concerns, some of the students have demanded a full government investigation into the security issue, accountability for those involved in voter suppression, and an annulment of the elections to allow for a fresh and transparent voting process.