NPP Factions shatter Tepa polling station vote
By Phillip Antoh
What should have been a routine internal polling station election for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Ahafo Ano North descended into bloody chaos on Wednesday, with two persons stabbed, gunshots fired, and machetes wielded.
The violence at Tepa Akwasiase Zongo polling station has exposed deep fractures in the constituency party ahead of the 2028 general election. Local members are now calling for national intervention, accusing the sitting MP, Nana Agyemang Prempeh, of rigging the process.
Witnesses say fighting broke out after supporters discovered alleged manipulation of the electoral list. Unhappy members claim the MP ensured that only his loyalists could vote, while official voter verification procedures were ignored.
“The electoral list was not used properly,” one party insider said. “Nursing students and SHS students were allowed to vote without proper checks. Some known NDC supporters were also permitted to participate.”
When party faithful protested, the response was thuggish. Machetes appeared. Warning shots were fired to disperse angry supporters. Two people were stabbed.
Nana Agyemang Prempeh, the incumbent MP, stands accused of tampering with the electoral roll and deploying “macho men” to intimidate opponents. His supporters deny the allegations, but the damage to his reputation within the constituency may be irreversible.
The aggrieved faction has demanded an immediate halt to the election process until transparency and fairness are restored. They have also called on national, regional, and constituency leadership to intervene before grassroots trust collapses completely.
This is not an isolated incident. The New Republic reported on 12 May 2026 that the Okaikwei Central Constituency First Vice Chairman was beaten bloody in a separate internal party clash. Other unreported assaults have also occurred.
The NPP prides itself on internal democracy.
But the Tepa violence gunshots, machetes, stabbings – suggests a party struggling to control its factions. If national leaders do not act decisively, the beauty of the ongoing internal party elections will be marred by blood.
Security has been tightened in parts of Tepa, but tensions remain high. The aggrieved members want the elections suspended and the MP called to order. They also want an end to the use of hired thugs in party contests.
For the NPP, the stakes are high. A party that cannot police its own internal polls cannot credibly criticise the government’s electoral conduct. The Tepa Akwasiase violence is a warning sign. Whether the national leadership heeds it will determine if the NPP enters 2028 united or fractured.