PHOTO: Injured Conti Hall Student Receives Treatment After Stabbing Incident
What began as a post-election “Thank You Tour” by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has spiralled into a crisis, with critics branding it a “stab him tour” following a violent incident in Kumasi’s Bantama Constituency that left a university student hospitalised — and Kennedy Kwame Agyapong walking off the campaign trail.
The chaos unfolded Tuesday night when national executives of the NPP visited Bantama as part of their goodwill outreach to supporters. But scenes of unity quickly turned into turmoil when money was sprayed on student attendees, triggering a scuffle that ended with blood on the ground.
Eyewitnesses allege that the violence erupted after a group of muscular men, said to have been mobilised by one Ali Suraj, attempted to forcibly collect money thrown into the crowd by Maxi, a car dealer and staunch ally of Mr Agyapong. In the ensuing melee, a student from KNUST’s Unity Hall was stabbed in the abdomen.
The victim was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery, where he remains under medical care. Kennedy Agyapong and members of his team stayed late into the night at the facility, liaising with doctors and ensuring the student’s care.
In a swift response, Mr Agyapong — a former presidential hopeful and a longstanding critic of growing indiscipline within the NPP — announced his withdrawal from the nationwide tour. His aide, Armstrong Essah, confirmed the decision in an interview, citing deepening internal sabotage and safety concerns.
“This was meant to be a moment of gratitude and rebuilding. It’s now become a threat to life and a stain on the party’s image,” Mr Essah said. “Kennedy Agyapong has officially lodged a complaint at the Bantama Police Station and expects swift justice.”
The incident has reignited longstanding tensions in the NPP, particularly between pro-Agyapong grassroots elements and other factions of the party’s national leadership. Critics within the base say the violence is symptomatic of a deeper rot in the party’s internal arrangements and a failure to confront post-defeat bitterness after the 2024 elections.
Political watchers have warned that if left unchecked, such incidents risk further alienating the party from its support base and could derail efforts at reconciliation and reorganisation ahead of the 2028 polls.
Meanwhile, the Bantama Police have begun investigations, though no arrests have been made as of Wednesday morning.
As the NPP tries to regroup in opposition, this latest episode could become a defining moment — either sparking a reset or confirming a party at war with itself.
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