- Bernard Baidoo of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has won the Akwatia Constituency by-election, defeating Solomon Asumadu of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) by nearly 3,000 votes.
- The election was held following the death of sitting MP Ernest Yaw Kumi. Baidoo secured 18,199 votes, Asumadu received 15,235, and LPG’s Owusu Patrick got 82. Akwatia, a swing seat in Ghana’s Eastern Region, has now tilted back to the NDC, marking their fifth win in the constituency since the Fourth Republic began.
The Akwatia Constituency has flipped once again — and this time, it’s the NDC celebrating.
Bernard Baidoo, the ruling party’s candidate, has emerged victorious in Tuesday’s by-election, securing 18,199 votes to beat his closest rival, Solomon Asumadu of the NPP, who polled 15,235. The third contender, Owusu Patrick of the LPG, managed just 82 votes.
The by-election was triggered by the death of Ernest Yaw Kumi, the NPP MP who won the seat in 2024. His passing in July left Akwatia — a known swing constituency — wide open for a fresh contest.
With 33,516 valid votes cast and 303 rejected ballots, the total turnout stood at 33,819. The results were declared by the Electoral Commission’s Returning Officer, Eric Osu, late Tuesday night, sparking celebrations in the NDC camp.
Baidoo’s win marks the ninth time the seat has changed hands since the start of the Fourth Republic, with the NDC now claiming five victories to the NPP’s four. The result also strengthens the ruling party’s hold in Parliament and signals a shift in voter sentiment in the Eastern Region.
As the dust settles, political analysts are already dissecting the implications — not just for Akwatia, but for the national mood heading into 2026.
