Former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and NPP Flagbearer Hopeful, Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, has proposed a bold electoral reform to end what he describes as the “disturbing, recurring cycle” of violence and chaos associated with by-elections in Ghana.
In an open letter addressed to the Speaker of Parliament, the Chairpersons of the NDC and NPP, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, the Ghana Peace Council, and the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations, Ing. Agyepong urged the creation of a national convention that would allow political parties to fill vacant parliamentary seats without resorting to by-elections.
According to him, the current practice of organizing by-elections has “time and again” turned into “scenes of fear, aggression and needless damage to lives and property,” citing past violent incidents in Atiwa, Chereponi, Akwatia, Ayawaso West Wuogon, and most recently, the July 2025 rerun of polling station elections in Ablekuma North.
“These are not distant memories but part of a disturbing, recurring cycle… state-linked forces, law enforcement hesitation, high-profile targets attacked, and post-violence blame games impeding justice. This can no longer continue while we grow numb, with all due respect,” the letter read.
The Proposal
The letter indicated that: “When an MP’s seat falls vacant, the incumbent party be allowed to simply select a successor through its internal democratic mechanisms, without triggering a by-election with all its associated risks.”
It also argued that such a move would “save public resources, protect lives, and thwart the escalating cycle of partisan violence,” while also offering “an opportunity to nurture consensus-building among political actors.”
The letter further emphasised the need to protect the dignity of Ghana’s democracy and promote peaceful coexistence. “We need to redirect our energies towards peaceful coexistence. Let’s elevate this dialogue beyond partisan lines and inspire national consensus. Akwatia and Tamale Central can lead the way,” the letter stated.
In the letter, Ing. Agyepong reminded leaders that “Ghana is stronger than our worst moments” and that the nation’s “shared cultural roots and aspirations are more than the conflicts at polling stations.” He urged political leaders to “inspire hope in every rural classroom, every urban market, every unemployed graduate seeking opportunity.” He challenged the country’s political class to “break this destructive cycle together, not with empty speeches, but with courageous, consensual reform,” warning that “our legacy and the future of our people depend on it.”
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