Bernard Baidoo and Solomon Asumadu
All roads lead to Akwatia today as the mining constituency braces for a fiercely contested parliamentary by-election that has stirred emotions, revived old rivalries, and once again cast the spotlight on one of the country’s most unpredictable constituencies.
The Electoral Commission (EC) has declared its readiness for the exercise, assuring the public of a smooth process.
At a media briefing inside the collation centre yesterday, the Eastern Regional Director, John Appiah Baffoe, announced the EC’s readiness for the exercise, indicating that his outfit had received all the voting materials for a smooth take off.
“The Commission is ready. We’ve received the ballot papers, biometric verification devices, registers and all other materials. Everything has been packaged and will be distributed for the election to commence at 7 a.m.,” he said.
Across Akwatia, tension and anticipation hang in the air. From the narrow market streets to the surrounding villages, the conversation is the same: who will inherit the seat left vacant by the late Ernest Yaw Kumi of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)?
Security on High Alert
The by-election has drawn national attention, and with it, an extraordinary security presence. The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has ordered the deployment of over 5,000 officers – some in uniform, others in plainclothes – stationed in and around the constituency.
The sheer size of the deployment has been interpreted by observers as the determination of the police to prevent any repeat of the Ablekuma North disturbances that marred the re-run in the area.
Residents woke up this morning to checkpoints, patrol vehicles, and the sight of heavily armed officers ready to guard polling centres and identified hotspots.
“We will not allow violence to overshadow the voice of the people,” the IGP insisted.
A Seat of History
Since 1996, Akwatia has been the very definition of a swing constituency, alternating loyalties between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the NPP. Each party has held the seat four times, making today’s outcome a potential tiebreaker in a rivalry that mirrors the broader contest for the political heart of the country.
The late Ernest Kumi secured victory for the NPP in 2024, polling 19,269 votes (52.83%) against the NDC’s Henry Yiadom Boakye, who managed 17,206 votes (47.17%).
But the victory did not come easily. The NDC challenged the results in court, prolonging the tension for months. The courts eventually affirmed Kumi’s win, yet barely 26 days after that legal victory, tragedy struck. Mr. Kumi died suddenly, leaving behind both a grieving constituency and a vacant parliamentary seat.
It is this unresolved story, tinged with grief and controversy, that has made today’s vote all the more dramatic.
The Candidates Face Off
On the ballot are two men carrying the weight of their party’s hopes. The NDC has fielded Bernard Bediako Baidoo. He is presenting himself as the voice of continuity for a party already in government.
The NPP’s Solomon Kwame Asumadu, meanwhile, has stepped forward as the heir to Kumi’s legacy, pledging to complete the development projects his predecessor promised but did not live to deliver.
Former Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has been among the most vocal campaigners for the NPP. During a visit to the chief’s palace, he reminded voters of the late MP’s trials.
“They stressed him and pressed him hard,” Dr. Bawumia said of the court case, and added, “Anything that the late MP Ernest Kumi promised, we will help Kwame Asumadu to do for Akwatiaman.”
The NDC has countered with its own forceful argument. At a charged rally, the party’s National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, told voters that with the NDC controlling the presidency and a two-thirds majority in Parliament, only an NDC MP could guarantee development.
“The Minority’s 87 members are nothing, but to resort to boycotts of parliamentary proceedings. You need an MP who can join the government to bring roads, water, and schools,” he declared to thunderous applause.
The Stakes
While the by-election will not tip the parliamentary scales, because the NDC has secured its dominance already, its symbolic value is undeniable.
Akwatia Constituency once again sets the stage for the two major parties to measure their strength. With 52,328 registered voters expected to cast their ballots across 119 polling stations, the winner will not just inherit a seat, but bragging rights in a constituency where victory has never come easily.
Voting is scheduled to close at 5 p.m., after which counting and collation of results will begin under tight security.
By Ernest Kofi Adu