Claim: The NPP won every by-election under the Kufuor presidency (2001 – 2009)
Source: Sammi Awuku
Verdict: False
Researched by Gifty Danso
Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Samuel Awuku (alias Sammi Awuku), has claimed that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) won every by-election under former president John Agyekum Kufuor’s tenure.
He made the claim made while discussing the NPP’s recent loss of the Akwatia by-election to the governing party.
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“I don’t think that NPP losing Akwatia by-election shows that we are weak as a party. In fact, President Kufuor’s time, Kufuor when he was president, we won every by-election during our time. But we lost the 2008 elections,” he said on Kessben TV’s Maakye show on September 8, 2025. (between 48:57 to 49:06 of the interview).
Did the NPP win every by-election under former President John Agyekum Kufuor’s tenure? This fact-check will verify the claim.
Fact-check
Former President John Ageykum Kufuor was Ghana’s president from January 2001 until January 2009 when he handed over power after his constitutional two terms to the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) John Evans Atta-Mills.
During Kufuor’s eight-year tenure, the Electoral Commission held a number of by-elections. By-elections are held once an MP’s seat becomes vacant, either due to a number of reasons including the death of an MP. The 1992 constitution makes elaborate provisions for this under Articles 97 and 112 (5).
To verify the claim, GhanaFact examined media reports between 2001 and 2009. We found that 13 by-elections were organised within the period, specifically under the 3rd and 4th Parliaments of the Fourth Republic.
The NPP won 10 of those elections while the NDC won three.
Find the breakdown below:
| Year | Constituency | Party | MP |
| 2002 | KumawuBimbilla | NPP NPP | Yaw Baah Dominic Aduna Bingab Nitiwul |
| 2003 | Wulensi Navrongo Central Gomoa East Amenfi West | NPP NPP NPP NPP | Kofi Karim Wumbei Joseph Kofi Adda Richmond Sam Quarm Agnes Sonful |
| 2004 | Upper Denkyira | NPP | Benjamin Kofi Ayeh |
| 2005 | Asawase Odododiodio | NDC NDC | Muntaka Mubarak Jonathan Nii Tackie Kommey |
| 2006 | Offinso South Tamale Central | NPP NDC | Owusu Achaw Duah Fuseini Inusah |
| 2007 | Fomena Nkoranza North | NPP NPP | Nana Abu Bonsra Derrick Oduro |
Two key conclusions from the data above:
- There were seven by-elections in Kufuor’s first term (2001 – 2005), all of which were won by the NPP.
- There were six by-elections in the second term (2005 – 2009), each party winning three apiece.
Verdict:
From the above, the NPP MP’s claim that his party won every by-election under former President Kufour’s tenure is False!
NB: We have reached out to the MP via Facebook messenger, his response will be incorporated as and when he gets back to us.
