“NPP has men, let us take machoism out' — Former Speaker Prof Oquaye on vigilante groups

Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye

Former Speaker of Parliament and political scientist Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye has called for an end to vigilante activities and what he described as “machoism” in Ghanaian politics, warning that political intimidation could fuel a cycle of violence if left unchecked.

Prof Oquaye said the state must take responsibility for protecting citizens and voters, particularly during elections, rather than allowing political parties and their supporters to create parallel security arrangements.

Speaking in an interview on Accra-based Joy FM on Monday, October 5, 2026, he said the failure of state institutions to adequately protect people from intimidation could encourage political actors to resort to self-defence.

He stressed that he did not support calls for political parties or groups to organise their own security structures to protect ballot boxes or supporters during elections.

“I don't support it at all,” he said when asked about calls for political groups to organise their own security arrangements during elections.

“The NPP has men. Therefore, let us take machoism out of these politics,” he said.

Prof Oquaye warned that political tensions could become more dangerous if citizens began to feel that they had been left to fend for themselves.

“Nobody has got a monopoly of the capacity to resist and to be wild,” he said.

He illustrated the point with a personal example, explaining that if his residence were attacked by thugs, he would seek assistance from a group rather than simply remain passive in the face of the threat.

The former Speaker also recounted an instance during an earlier internal presidential election of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) when he personally invited the Inspector-General of Police to ensure adequate security for the exercise.

He said the police presence contributed to maintaining peace during the election, stressing the importance of having state security institutions take preventive action rather than responding only after violence had occurred.

Oquaye on NPP election review

Prof Oquaye, who chaired a committee established to examine the NPP's defeat in the 2024 general election, said the party was implementing recommendations contained in the committee's report.

He said the recommendations included measures concerning the party's internal organisation, as well as issues affecting young people and women.

He did not, however, limit his concerns to the activities of political parties, urging influential groups within society to intervene early whenever political tensions showed signs of escalating.

He called on pastors, chiefs, Mallams, civil society organisations and other respected groups to use their influence to discourage intimidation and violence before situations got out of hand.

“The pastors, the chiefs, the Mallams, and all such organisations must step in before this thing gets too late,” he said.

Prof Oquaye maintained that Ghana's political competition should not evolve into an environment where individuals or political groups believe they must organise their own protection because they have lost confidence in the state's ability to safeguard them.