According to history, Ghana’s first president, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah won the 1951 legislative elections, the first in Africa, under universal adult suffrage, whilst he was still in prison at Wa, in the now Upper West Region.
He polled 22,780 votes out of the 23,122 valid votes cast, to become the Member of Parliament for Accra Central, which is now Odododiodio Constituency.
This enviable 72 year old record has, however, been broken, not by a living person, but a dead assembly man at Tarkwa, in the Western Region.
Unlike Kwame Nkrumah, who the people of Odododiodio voted for whilst still in prison, the electorate in Tebrebe Electoral area decided to vote for Manasseh Addison Sackey, 34, during the recent district level elections, even though they knew that he was dead.
Election results released by the Electoral Commission (EC) indicated that Manasseh Addison Sackey, the incumbent, polled 860 votes whilst his other two contenders, Bernard Obeng and Michael Dompreh polled 857 and 637 votes respectively.
The re-election of the deceased, popularly known as ‘Teacher Obour’, despite the constituents knowing that he was dead, confirms the confidence the Tebrebe Electoral area have in him.
The deceased Assembly Member lost his life on December 5, 2023. ‘Teacher Obour’ drowned on his way to Akilkawhilst on a campaign tour. The canoe they were travelling on reportedly capsized, with three of his campaign team members surviving the accident.
According to a myjoyonline.com report, the Electoral Officer for the area, Ekow Essien, says there will be a re-election.
“The law indicates that if a candidate dies, leaving only one candidate in the election, the Electoral Commission has to reopen nomination for another 10 days and reschedule the voting within 21 days.
“However, if a candidate dies and there are still more than two candidates, the election can proceed as there is still a contest. So, despite the unfortunate event in the Tebrebe electoral area, the election must proceed,” he said.
In another development, the incumbent Assembly Member for Chapel Hill, Wilson Kwofie, popularly known as ‘Chapel Hill Mugabe’ retained his position by a wide margin of votes. He polled 357 votes whilst his contender could only manage 166 votes.
In Anaji West, incumbent Ben Davies, who has held the seat for over 20 years, surprisingly lost. One Ben Anhwer beat him,with other five contenders, to emerge victorious in the race.
Anhwer secured 606 votes to beat Davies, who secured 264 votes.
