The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mrs. Jean Mensa has described as “unfortunate” the skirmishes that occurred at the La-Bawaleshie Presby JHS polling station on Thursday during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.

Some macho men in NSC-branded t-shirts who are suspected to be members of a vigilante group attacked some voters at the La-Bawaleshie Presby JHS polling station and fired gunshots, as the electorate voted.

Accra100.5FM’s Fred Alvis Agbenyo, who was at the scene to cover the event, reported that the macho men, numbering about 200, got furious when some voters started taking pictures of them and videoing them.

According to Fred Agbenyo, the macho men destroyed polling station Basic One and carried the ballot boxes away.

Reacting to the gun violence on the Executive Breakfast Show (EBS) on Class91.3FM, Mrs. Mensa said: “It’s unfortunate because this is just a by-election. You don’t expect to have violence in a by-election.

“It’s just a simple exercise where members of the public go to cast their vote and to exercise their franchise to elect those they will like to lead them, so, it’s not an exercise that should bring about conflict and violence, so, it’s unfortunate but we believe the police are in control.”

The by-election has become necessary following the death of the sitting MP, Emmanuel Kyeremanteng Agyarko.

Contesting the seat is the widow of the late MP, Lydia Seyram Alhassan (NPP), Kwasi Delali Brempong (NDC), William Dowokpor (PPP), and Clement Boadi of the LPG.