Chaos erupts at University of Ghana’s General Assembly Elections as students snatch ballot box

On Sunday, October 22, 2023, chaos erupted during the General Assembly Elections at the University of Ghana.

In a video shared by Univers TV and sighted by GhanaWeb, some students of the University of Ghana engaged in a brawl during the election.

The viral video shows the tumultuous scene as some students resorted to snatching the ballot box at Mensah Sarbah Hall, where the election took place.

The disruptive conduct of the students, who not only seized the ballot box but also engaged in violent actions, including assaulting individuals and vandalizing the tables and chairs employed during the event, led to the suspension of the election by the EC.

A statement by the EC raised concerns about how the conduct of the SRC general secretary led to the chaos.

According to the statement, the independence of the EC came under threat when the general secretary attempted to encroach upon the constitutional powers and duties of the EC in conducting elections.

“The General Secretary’s unconstitutional attempt to usurp the powers of the Electoral Commission caused tremendous tension in the House, and this is what has led the Commission to call off the election in the interest of peace, order, and tranquillity,” the EC said in its statement without specific details regarding the actions of the general secretary.

Meanwhile, the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) has strongly condemned the incident, labelling it as disheartening.

“The Executive Council of the UGSRC write this communiqué with deep regret and disappointment regarding the recent incident that took place during our scheduled election for the Speaker position,” the statement said. “It is disheartening to acknowledge the chaos and acts of violence that transpired, resulting in harm to individuals and property damage, the SRC statement stated.”

While apologising to persons who were affected by the disruption, the SRC said it would not shield anyone found culpable.