Akwatia By-Election Unlikely to Be Flashpoint—Prof. Aning Urges Strategic Security Planning
Security Analyst Professor Kwesi Aning has dismissed fears that the upcoming Akwatia by-election will erupt into violence, despite recent unrest during the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun.
Speaking on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News on Monday, July 14, Prof. Aning stated that any politically motivated actors seeking revenge are unlikely to act so quickly after the Ablekuma North incident, describing such a move as “strategically wrong.”
“I think Akwatia is too early for any reprisals. If I have lost the last battle, of course, my opponent will think that the next opportunity is when I might want to strike—and that is bad tactical thinking,” Prof. Aning said.
His comments follow nationwide concerns over political violence, after chaos broke out at a polling station in Ablekuma North during the July 11 rerun, resulting in injuries to party officials and journalists.
While calling for a robust security presence at the Akwatia polls, Prof. Aning cautioned against concentrating too many resources in one location, warning that violent actors often wait for lapses in national vigilance.
“They will bide their time. They will wait for an opportunity where these acts of violence have been forgotten, there will be less security people around, and then they will strike,” he explained.
He urged a more holistic and long-term approach to election security, calling on the Ghana Police Service and other agencies to maintain continuous presence in high-risk constituencies even after major elections are over.
Prof. Aning emphasized that preventing future violence requires sustained intelligence-gathering, strategic deployment, and investment in deterring political vigilantism at its roots.
His comments come as preparations intensify for the Akwatia by-election, with political parties and the Electoral Commission expected to announce details in the coming weeks.
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