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Legislators

Akwatia By-Election: High Stakes and Intense Campaigning

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The people of Akwatia, in the Eastern Region of Ghana, will head to the polls on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, to elect a new Member of Parliament in a by-election following the death of Ernest Yaw Kumi, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP who won the seat in the December 2024 general election. The contest has been marred by controversy, with the NPP's Solomon Kwame Asumadu facing off against the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC)'s Bernard Bediako, a lawyer with a history of representing politicians in court.

Key Takeaways:

  • The by-election is a rematch between the NPP's Solomon Kwame Asumadu and the NDC's Bernard Bediako, a lawyer with a history of representing politicians in court.
  • The two candidates have a complicated past, with Asumadu having been represented by Bediako in legal disputes and Bediako having acted as counsel for Asumadu's predecessor, Henry Boakye-Yiadom.
  • The by-election has been marked by high political intensity, with allegations of vote-buying and intimidation, and the deployment of 5,500 police officers to ensure voter confidence and safeguard the collation process.
  • The NDC's Johnson Asiedu Nketiah has sought to project Bediako as a tested and competent candidate, highlighting his past legal representation for his political rivals as evidence of his professional credibility.
  • A Citi TV-commissioned poll suggests that the NDC is slightly ahead, with 4% of voters saying sympathy for the late Kumi will influence their choice.
  • Akwatia has a history of fiercely contested elections, with the NPP winning five times against the NDC's four since 1992.
  • A win for the NDC would strengthen its political legitimacy and consolidate its hold as the ruling party, while a victory for the NPP could revive grassroots morale and counter growing perceptions of decline.

Statistics:

  • 5,500 police officers have been deployed across the constituency to ensure voter confidence and safeguard the collation process.
  • 4% of voters in a Citi TV-commissioned poll say sympathy for the late Kumi will influence their choice.
  • The NPP has won the seat in Akwatia five times against the NDC's four since 1992.
  • Bernard Bediako, the NDC's candidate, has a history of representing politicians in court, including Asumadu's predecessor, Henry Boakye-Yiadom.

Sources:

  • The Herald, "Akwatia By-Election: High Stakes and Intense Campaigning"
  • Citi TV, "Akwatia By-Election: NDC Leads in Latest Poll"

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