Prof Mike Ocquaye backs Kojo Bamba’s Vice Chair election, cites need to protect NPP votes

Former Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Ocquaye, has defended the election of Kwadwo Fosu Boadu, popularly known as Kojo Bamba, as the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) First National Vice Chairman, saying the party cannot ignore concerns over the protection of its votes.

Kojo Bamba, a former leader of the pro-NPP Delta Force group, was elected First National Vice Chairman at the party’s National Delegates Conference held at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi on October 3.

He secured 3,116 votes to emerge ahead of Henry Nana Boakye, who polled 3,061 votes, and Nana Akomea, who obtained 2,987 votes.

As part of his campaign, Kojo Bamba promised to help protect the opposition party's votes in the next general elections.

Reacting to this on Accra-based Joy FM on Monday, October 5, Prof. Ocquaye argued that while he does not support the establishment of a parallel security structure within the NPP, the party must be able to respond if state security agencies fail to protect the electoral process.

“If the police will not protect you, and your daughter is raped in your home, you will go and get a gun,” he said, stressing that his position is rooted in the need for the state to provide adequate protection during elections.

Prof. Ocquaye said the NPP had previously supported efforts to abolish political party vigilante groups and had backed the use of the Ghana Police Service to provide security during elections.

He, however, said developments during the last general election had raised fresh concerns about whether political parties could rely solely on state security agencies to protect their votes.

He cited reports of alleged attacks on polling stations, destruction and burning of ballot boxes and disruptions by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that led to re-voting in some constituencies.

Prof. Ocquaye further rejected suggestions that Bamba’s election amounted to a formal return of NPP vigilante groups, insisting that the focus should instead be on preventing violence and ensuring that electoral processes are adequately protected.