Kumasi — Ashanti Regional Peace Council has urged the Electoral Commission (EC) to exhibit the highest professional conduct to avoid violence in the upcoming by-election in the Kumawu constituency.

According to the Council, the EC, as the election management body in the country, should ensure that the lawful processes were followed to the letter to avoid any violence.

The by-election had been the result of the death of Mr Philip Atta Basoah, who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area.

Following his death on March 27, 2023, the EC would be conducting a by-election to elect an MP today.

In a statement signed and issued by the Regional Chairman, Right Reverend Dr Nuh Ben Abubekr, reminded particularly, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress of their signed roadmap, Code of Conduct and Act 999(Act 2019) to ensure peaceful coexistence in Kumawu and the country at large.

The Council noted that political parties should respect the rule of law and revere the people they wanted to represent with dignity.

"Voters should decide on a leader of their choice without any material influence, and it is a historic fact that only the weak and vulnerable political parties resort to violence during elections," the statement indicated.

It was confident that the political parties would adhere to their roadmap and conduct their activities in such a way that "we shall have a peaceful election in Kumawu."

"With the violence that characterised the Ayawaso-Wuogon by-elections behind us, we need to forge ahead and ensure a violent free by-election," the statement underlined.

"The Council is confident that the two political parties, the EC and the security agencies will rise to the occasion," it remarked