There will be a by-election in Akwatia and Ghanaians are unsure whether or not thugs will be hired to go and do the bloody bidding of political parties, as law enforcement agents fold their arms helplessly.
It will be another test for our democracy which we wonder we shall pass considering the prevailing circumstances on our political ambience.
When the previous administration following the nasty occurrence in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency banned vigilantes in our body politics, we erroneously thought that was the end of the land guards. Yes, these thugs are unemployed land guards who for want of work are available for such dirty tasks.
With a clear signal from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) leadership that regardless of the banning of vigilantes they would go ahead to do business with them, others would not be acting wrongly if they too follow suit.
We still have not heard from those who regard themselves as the conscience of the nation.
One of the thugs has been described by an NDC activist as a ‘flying python’ because of his violent skills. He appears to have been given specific instruction to kill the former female minister. Although he could not kill her, he hurt her badly.
To be forewarned is to be forearmed, is an old adage which it would appear the New Patriotic Party (NPP) would not ignore when it comes to election matters.
When these two dominant political parties decide to adopt this state of nature approach to electoral matters in a terrain where the police have lost the confidence of the people, the outcome could be bloody.
The violence which greeted the limited election in the Ablekuma North Constituency demands the intervention of the real conscience of the nation, especially since the so-called neutrals have lost their voices.
We should not allow our chosen democracy to be contaminated by self-seeking politicians in whose interest it is when things get this bad.
The manner in which the thugs proceeded into the election location spoke volumes about how they were working according to the dictates of persons working in the corridors of power. The impunity of the thugs was portentous and the apathy of the police scary.
We cannot continue on this tangent in a country which prides herself as championing the cause of decency.
Are we any different from Togo and others where crudeness is the feature of their governance system?
All stakeholders in the impending Akwatia by-election should take note that the NDC will attempt replicating the Ablekuma North template because it worked for them. No suspect who partook in the Ablekuma North mayhem has been arrested even though the images of the suspects are all over the place.
We wish the speed with which the Adenta Divisional Police Commander was identified and subsequently interdicted would be applied to the thugs who visited violence in the limited election.
