John Mahama
The December 7 elections have delivered a political tsunami as several prominent figures within the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) lost their parliamentary seats.
The elections, which saw the National Democratic Congress (NDC) reclaim power with former President John Dramani Mahama emerging as President-Elect, also reshaped the parliamentary front.
The NDC gained a majority, unseating several high-profile NPP Members of Parliament (MPs) in what political analysts are describing as a dramatic change of fortunes.
Key Losses for the NPP
Among the notable casualties are some of the party’s most recognised faces, who have played pivotal roles in governance.
They are K. T. Hammond, who is the Minister of Trade and Industry and MP for Adansi Asokwa; Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, who represented Ablekuma West; Sylvester Tetteh, who is the Deputy Minister of Information and MP for Bortianor Ngleshie Amanfro; Henry Quartey, who is the Minister of Interior and MP for Ayawaso Central, and Dakoa Newman, the MP for Okaikwei South.
Western Region
Emmanuel Opoku reports from Takoradi that the NDC secured a resounding victory in the Western Region, according to provisional and certified results from the area.
The Western Region, which has 17 constituencies, was previously dominated by the NPP, holding nine seats while the NDC had eight.
However, the NDC has made history by capturing 15 of the 17 seats in an unprecedented turnaround.
Key Constituencies
The constituencies that were previously held by the NPP but were won by the NDC in the parliamentary elections include Kwesimintsim, Sekondi, Mpohor, Tarkwa-Nsuaem, Essikado-Ketan, Shama and Ahanta West.
Constituencies Retained
The NPP managed to retain only two seats in the region, namely Takoradi and Effia constituencies.
In the Takoradi Constituency, the NPP’s candidate, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, retained his seat with 16,413 votes, narrowly defeating the NDC’s Frederick Faidoo, who garnered 15,527 votes.
In Effia, the NPP’s candidate, Joseph Cudjoe polled 15,870 votes to beat Abdul Majeed Idrisu of the NDC, who received 13,892 votes.
Notable Results
In the Sekondi Constituency, the NDC’s Armah Blay defeated the NPP’s incumbent, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, with 14,558 votes to 11,084.
In Kwesimintsim, the NDC’s Fiifi Buckman emerged victorious with 15,927 votes, defeating the NPP’s Dr. Prince Hamid Armah, who secured 13,317 votes.
The NDC’s Mavis Bissue claimed the Ahanta West seat with 28,233 votes, triumphing over the NPP’s Francis Pobee, who polled 19,663 votes.
In the Ellembelle Constituency, incumbent NDC MP Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah retained his seat by a significant margin, securing 31,987 votes against the NPP’s Kwasi Bonzoh, who received 18,454 votes.
Historic Shift
The results from the Western Region mark a significant shift in the political dynamics of the area, underscoring the NDC’s growing influence.
Political analysts attribute this to a combination of strategic campaigning and voter dissatisfaction with the NPP’s performance in government.
Volta Region
From Hohoe, Gibril Abdul Razak reports that the Minister for Railways Development, John Peter Amewu, lost the Hohoe Constituency seat, the NPP’s only seat in the Volta Region.
This defeat comes as a major blow to the NPP, leaving the party without any parliamentary representation in the region’s 18 constituencies.
The NDC, which had pledged to reclaim all 18 seats in the Volta Region, achieved its goal by winning the Hohoe seat.
NDC’s Thomas Worlanyo Tsekpo emerged victorious, defeating Amewu in what many had anticipated would be a closely contested race.
A total of 1,023,147 registered voters were expected to participate in the general election across the Volta Region on December 7, 2024.
The Hohoe seat, long regarded as a political battleground, drew significant attention, particularly after Amewu’s historic win in 2020 broke the NDC’s dominance in the region.
Despite predictions favouring Mr. Amewu to retain his seat, he lost by a significant margin of over 16,000 votes.
Some analysts attribute Amewu’s loss to low voter turnout, as more than one-third of the 70,644 registered voters in the constituency did not cast their ballots.
There were suggestions that this factor may have weakened the incumbent’s chances of retaining the seat.
In the presidential race, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the NPP’s candidate, secured only 8,526 votes, while former President John Dramani Mahama of the NDC polled an overwhelming 36,739 votes.
Background
Mr. Amewu’s 2020 victory in Hohoe was historic, as he became the first NPP candidate to win a parliamentary seat in the Volta Region since 1992.
In that election, he garnered 26,952 votes (55.26%) to defeat the NDC’s Prof. Margaret Kweku, who polled 22,822 votes (44.74%).
Ashanti
In the Ashanti Region, I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr reports from Kumasi that the NDC achieved a historic breakthrough, securing 10 parliamentary seats in what is widely regarded as a major upset.
Until Saturday’s general election, the NDC held only four seats in the region, which has long been considered the stronghold of the ruling NPP.
These seats included Asawase, Sekyere Afram Plains, New Edubiase and Ejura Sekyeredumase Constituencies.
In a remarkable performance, the NDC managed to win six additional seats, increasing their tally to 10.
The newly acquired seats are Ahafo Ano South East, Akrofrom, Adansi Asokwa, Obuasi East, Ahafo Ano South West, and Ahafo Ano North.
The NDC’s significant gains in the Ashanti Region have surprised political analysts and observers.
Historically, the region has been a “no-go area” for the NDC, with the party consistently struggling to gain traction during national elections.
Independent Candidate
In another surprising development, the Asante Akyem North Constituency seat, previously held by the NPP, was won by an independent candidate.
This further reduces the NPP’s parliamentary representation in its stronghold.
Northern Region
In the Northern Region, Eric Kombat reports from Tamale that several NPP MPs lost their seats in the December 7 elections.
Results from the Mion Constituency showed the NPP parliamentary candidate, Aziz Ayaba, secured 18,083 votes.
He was defeated by the NDC candidate, Misbao Adams, who garnered 20,339 votes to win the seat.
In the Kumbungu Constituency, NPP candidate, Abdul Salam Hamza Fataw, polled 19,198 votes but lost to the NDC’s Hamza Adam, who secured a commanding 27,242 votes.
In the Tamale South Constituency, NDC parliamentary candidate, Haruna Iddrisu, retained his seat with an impressive 67,018 votes, beating his closest contender, NPP candidate Fuseini Musah, who polled 20,974 votes.
The remaining candidates—Kassim Abdul Jalilu, Sualisu Imoro, and Haashimiyu Yahaya—obtained 431,402, and 456 votes, respectively.
The Tamale North Constituency also saw the NDC’s Alhassan Suhuyini retaining his seat with 28,521 votes. He comfortably defeated the NPP’s Alidu Abdul Rahaman, who managed 12,317 votes.
In another upset, Mohammed Sherif Abdul Halid of the NDC secured 17,077 votes to beat the NPP candidate, Hardi Tuferu, who obtained 14,506 votes.
Results Pending
As at the time of filing this report, results from some constituencies in the Northern Region were still being collated for final declaration by the Electoral Commission.
Upper East
From Bolgatanga, Ebo Bruce-Quansah reports that NDC swept all 15 parliamentary seats in the Upper East Region, fulfilling a long-held ambition.
This resounding victory solidifies the region’s status as a stronghold of the NDC since the return to democratic rule in 1992.
The NPP lost its sole seat in the region, the Binduri Constituency, which it had won in the 2020 elections.
This marks the first time in 12 years that the NDC has secured its “Agenda 15/15” goal.
The NDC presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama triumphed in all 1,576 polling stations across the 15 constituencies.
Binduri Upset
In the Binduri Constituency, NDC’s first-time candidate, Issifu Mahmood, defeated the incumbent NPP MP, Abdulai Abanga, in a contest that was widely anticipated.
Mahmood secured 21,943 votes, while Abanga managed only 7,811 votes.
A longstanding tradition in Binduri, where MPs rarely serve more than one term, played a role in Abanga’s defeat.
Since 1992, only one MP has served more than one term in the constituency, a pattern that has continued in this election.
Other Constituencies
In Garu Constituency, the NDC candidate, Thomas Anaba, won with 17,832 votes, defeating NPP’s Georgina Laardi Azumah, who polled 7,936 votes.
At Builsa South, Dr. Clement Apaak retained his seat for the NDC with 8,974 votes, while NPP’s Daniel Kwame Gariba garnered 5,062 votes.
For the Navrongo Central Constituency, Simon Akibange Aworigo of the NDC secured 26,190 votes to defeat Alhaji Otito Achuliwor of the NPP, who obtained 12,203 votes.
In the Bawku Central Constituency, the incumbent MP, Mahama Ayariga of the NDC retained his seat with 25,350 votes, beating NPP’s Paul Alale Abogire, who managed 3,855 votes.
At Nabdam Constituency, Dr. Mark Kurt Nawaane of the NDC was re-elected with 11,192 votes, defeating NPP’s Charles Ndanbon Taleog, who polled 6,680 votes, while Dr. Dominic Ayine retained the Bolgatanga East seat for the NDC with 12,002 votes, outpacing NPP’s Mathew Silas Amoah, who received 7,415 votes.
By Daily Guide Reporters