The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana was called into action exactly seven months after it conducted the 2024 general elections.
This call was triggered by the death on July 7, 2025, of Ernest Yaw Kumi, the immediate past New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for the Akwatia Constituency in the Eastern Region of Ghana.
The 1992 Constitution mandates the EC to hold a by-election when a seat becomes vacant, among other reasons, the demise of a sitting Member of Parliament (MP). Acting in accordance with Article 112 (5) of the constitution, the EC slated today (September 2, 2025) for a by-election that allows the people of Akwatia to elect a replacement for their deceased MP.
In this piece, GhanaFact looks at the major highlights of the ongoing election, from the major candidates, how both the NPP and governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) have fared in previous elections, as well as other key election-related information.
What is at stake?
The NDC is determined to capture a seat they insisted on winning during the 2024 election, and this seat was one of eight others that the party contested in court and lost.
For the NPP, they are seeking to maintain the seat, and their total number of 88 seats in a Parliament where the NDC has an absolute ⅔ majority with 188 seats.
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While the NPP is reeling from the July 11 Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun that it lost to the NDC, retaining Akwatia is seen as ‘revenge’ for a painful loss in Ablekuma, especially so for a party that has opted not to contest in the yet-to-be-held Tamale Central by-election caused by the death of Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, the former MP and Environment minister.
How the two parties have performed since 1992
| Election duration | Winner | Party |
| 1992 – 1996 | Gilbert Kwasi Agyei | NDC |
| 1996 – 2000 | Alhaji Mohammed Erzuah Siam | NDC |
| 2000 – 2004 | Kinston Akomeng Kissi | NPP |
| 2004 – 2008 | Kinston Akomeng Kissi | NPP |
| 2008 – 2012 | Kofi Asare | NPP |
| 2012 – 2016 | Baba Jamal Mohammed Ahmed | NDC |
| 2016 – 2020 | Mercy Adu-Gyamfi | NPP |
| 2020 – 2024 | Henry Boakye Yiadom | NDC |
| 2024 – 2028 | Ernest Yaw Kumi | NPP |
From the above, the NPP has won the seat five times, including a treble between 2000 and 2012, whereas the NDC has won it four times. The governing party are gunning for a record-equalling fifth while the NPP is racing for a sixth win.
Results from the 2024 elections
According to data from the EC, as of December 2024, the Constituency had 52,328 registered voters. During the 2024 elections, 19,269, representing 52.83%, voted for the NPP parliamentary candidate, while 17,206, representing 47.17%, voted for the NDC candidate.
Candidates contesting in the Akwatia by-elections
The NDC held a primary that resulted in the choice of Bernard Baidoo, a lawyer, as their candidate. Reports indicate that he was the lawyer of the party’s 2024 parliamentary candidate and had led the legal battle against the late MP.
He has previously served as the NDC secretary for the Eastern Region. He has, in multiple interviews, expressed hope that he would be voted to “bring development to the area.”
On the other hand, the NPP handpicked Solomon Asumadu as their candidate. He is the immediate past treasurer for the constituency.
The 40-year-old is a graduate of the All Nations University and a small-scale miner.
According to the NPP, the leadership “settled on Solomon because he had grassroots support after the party carried out a search.”
There is a third candidate in the person of Owusu Patrick, who is running as an independent.
Relevant numbers to take note of:
- 5,000 police personnel
- The 10th election in Akwatia since 1992
- 5 – 4 – NPP has won 5 times against 4 by NDC
- 119 polling stations
- 52,328 voters expected to cast their ballots
- 484 election officials deployed
Security heightened
Part of the reason for the heightened security is the pockets of violence that happened during the Ablekuma North re-run. The NPP insists that state-sponsored hoodlums were behind attacks on senior party officials as the police looked on.
The police have held pre-election drills in the lead-up to today’s by-election. The Inspector-General of Police, Christian Yuhono, visited the constituency and repeatedly assured of a peaceful process before, during, and after.
“Our eyes are red for Akwatia; nobody should think of coming to cause trouble. No political party should mobilise men to come and foment trouble. And nobody should have in mind the intention of snatching a ballot box. We have prepared our men adequately to handle the situation,” he said in an interview.
The police service had deployed a 600-man advanced team to Akwatia to gather intelligence to ensure that the by-election is free, fair, and free of violence.
In a last-minute push to get the NDC and NPP to commit to a peace pact, the effort by the National Peace Council failed as the parties could not agree on issues.
Conclusion
The election clearly has multiple fronts aside from the political and electoral ones. There is the security angle and, to an extent, the political bragging rights as focus is likely to quickly turn to Tamale Central, where the NDC almost has a pass to replace the former MP.
Researched by Alfa Shaban
Featured Image: Courtesy Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (Facebook)
