The Council of State elections in the Ashanti Region were abruptly halted on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, after chaos erupted during the counting process.
The disruption occurred at the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council, where voting had been completed, and officials were preparing to count the ballots. However, a group of heavily built men, commonly referred to as “machomen,” stormed the premises and destroyed all the ballots just as the counting was about to begin.
All 86 delegates had cast their votes for the 12 candidates and were awaiting the results when the incident unfolded.
According to report, officials of the Electoral Commission (EC) quickly exited the premises, and calm has since been restored.
The election, which had initially proceeded smoothly, turned chaotic at the critical moment of counting, following the sorting process.
Reports indicate that the contest was highly competitive, particularly between Nana Nkansah Boadu, a staunch member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and Yaw Obimpeh, former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). However, it remains unclear who was behind the attack or which candidate the assailants supported.
A new date is expected to be announced for the elections to be conducted again.
