The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has retained its Kumawu constituency parliamentary seat with their candidate, Ernest Yaw Anim, polling 15,260 votes, representing 70.91% of total valid votes cast.
Mr Kwasi Amankwa, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate also polled 3,719 votes, representing 17% of total valid votes cast.
With the Independent candidate, Kwaku Duah garnering 2,478 votes, representing 11% of total valid votes cast.
The other Kwaku Duah polled an embarrassing 62 votes.
These figures, at the time of going to the press last night were provisional, as the Electoral Commission, which supervised the by-election was yet to officially declare the winner.
The Kumawu constituency has 75 polling stations with 34,800 registered voters.
SECURITY
The Ghana Police Service, led by the Inspector General, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, provided tight security during the funeral of the late Member of Parliament, Philip Basoah, during the campaign period, and subsequently the voting day – yesterday.
On Monday, the Police Service issued a statement detailing the security arrangement for the by-election.
It assured Ghanaians that the Police had adequately deployed personnel to the Kumawu and other communities within the constituency to support the local police to provide security.
The Police engaged the parties contesting the election, including the NPP, NDC and the independent candidates.
The statement explained that the meeting was to enhance collaboration among all stakeholders towards a peaceful election.
The Greater Accra Regional Organiser of the NDC, Anthony Nukpenu, commended the people of Kumawu and all stakeholders for their roles in ensuring a peaceful process.
Speaking on Accra-based Asempa FM, Mr Nukpenu said during the rallies ahead of the voting, he observed that NDC supporters wearing party T-shirts were at the campaign platforms of the NPP, and vice versa.
EXPECTATION
Though it did not come as surprise to the opposition NDC for not winning the seat, the party was happy that it managed to appreciate its 2020 votes.
The NDC in 2020 had 2,439, representing 8.33%, with its candidate Bernard Opoku Marfo. However, the party went into the by-election with a new contestant.
Philip Basoah, the late NPP MP, garnered 14,960 votes which represented 51.11%. His demise necessitated yesterday’s by-election.
The closest contender in 2020, Kwaku Duah, was a member of the NPP, who, due to bad blood, stood as independent candidate. He polled 11,698, translating into 39.96% at the time.
The NDC, going into the Kumawu elections, had its presidential aspirant, John Mahama and other bigwigs of the party storming the constituency to solicit for votes to improve the number they garnered in 2020. They achieved their aim, albeit marginally.
The NPP, on the other hand, sought to widely increase its votes to send a signal to the opposition NDC that regardless of the economic turmoil, ‘breaking the eight’ was possible.
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Vice President, Dr. Mahammudu Bawumia, the Chief of Staff, Madam Fremah Akosua Osei Opare, together with the rank and file of the NPP made their way to Kumawu to campaign.
SPLIT
Many politicians and political analysts have said that the 2020 Independent candidate, Kwaku Duah, leveraged on the rancors in the constituency to win the over 11,000 votes. The party, especially, was confident that giving that it had mended all wounds, those who voted for the independent candidate out of anger would vote for the NPP.
The same argument went for the NDC, that aggrieved NPP supporters who did not want to vote for either the party or the NDC, also voted for the independent candidate.
