Voting is underway in the Akwatia Constituency of the Eastern Region to elect a new Member of Parliament (MP) following the death of the sitting MP, Ernest Kumi, on July 7, 2025.
The by-election, scheduled for today (Tuesday, September 2, 2025,) features a competitive race among three candidates but is widely seen as a straight contest between the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Bernard Bediako Baidoo, and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, Solomon Kwame Asumadu .
More than 52,328 registered voters are expected to cast their ballots across 119 polling stations in this highly anticipated by-election, which has become a major political showdown between the country’s two leading parties. The constituency has a history of closely contested elections, with the NPP winning the seat five times and the NDC four times since the inception of the Fourth Republic, making it a classic swing constituency.
The NDC is represented by Bernard Bediako Baidoo, a lawyer and the party’s Eastern Regional secretary, who previously handled the election petition for the NDC candidate in the disputed 2024 election. The NPP has fielded Solomon Kwame Asumadu, a small-scale miner and grassroots politician who positions himself as a successor to the late MP Ernest Kumi. Both candidates have campaigned vigorously in recent weeks, with party leaders and national executives making several high-profile visits to the constituency to rally support.
To guarantee security, the Ghana Police Service has deployed over 5,500 officers across the constituency. The officers are tasked with ensuring peace and order before, during, and after voting . Police have also warned against acts of violence, voter intimidation, or any breaches of electoral regulations, stressing their readiness to act decisively against offenders . This deployment is partly informed by past incidents of violence in the constituency, including during the 2008 election rerun and the 2024 general election .
The Electoral Commission (EC) has assured political parties, candidates, and voters of a transparent and credible process. Special arrangements have been made to ensure timely delivery of materials, effective monitoring, and swift collation of results . The by-election is attracting keen national attention as it is seen as a critical test of strength between the NDC and NPP in the run-up to the 2028 general elections . Political analysts say the outcome could serve as an indicator of voter sentiment and momentum for the two parties as they begin gearing up for the national contest .
Despite the high stakes, the result will not alter the balance of power in Parliament, where the NDC currently holds a strong majority of 184 seats out of 276, while the NPP has 88 seats. However, a win for either party would provide symbolic momentum and bragging rights in this fiercely contested swing constituency.
