The Eastern Region’s Akwatia Constituency, which is well-known for its abundant diamond reserves in the Denkyembour District, is getting ready for tomorrow, September 2, 2025, a crucial parliamentary by-election.
The contest began on July 7, 2025, when Ernest Yaw Kumi, a member of parliament for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), unexpectedly passed away.
This by-election, which pits Solomon Kwame Asumadu of the NPP against Bernard Bediako Baidoo of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has garnered national attention. Akwatia has a history of vacillating between the two big parties; thus, the result can be interpreted as a political cue for the months to come.
One of Ghana’s most uncertain constituencies is Akwatia, which has existed since the return to constitutional rule in 1992.
With the NPP winning four times and the NDC five, the two parties have split their victories nearly evenly.
The constituency’s choice has frequently served as a political barometer by reflecting larger national voting trends.
Over the years, voter priorities have been determined by the local economy, which has been greatly impacted by diamond mining. The constituency is hotly contested since the NDC has benefited from periods of economic discontent, while the NPP has frequently garnered support with its pro-business position.
Akwatia’s Election Flashpoints Throughout the Years
- 1992: The NDC’s Gilbert Kwasi Agyei entered Parliament unopposed after the NPP boycotted the legislative elections.
- 1996: The NDC consolidated its control when Alhaji Mohammed Erzuah Siam defeated the NPP’s Dr. Kwame Kyei Baffour by more than 9,000 votes.
- 2000: The NPP made inroads with Kinston Akomeng Kissi, whose win aligned with John Agyekum Kufuor’s presidential victory.
- 2004: Kissi retained the seat for the NPP in a close contest with Baba Jamal Mohammed Ahmed of the NDC.
- 2008: After a controversial rerun in six polling stations, Baba Jamal edged out the NPP’s Kofi Asare by just 617 votes.
- 2012: Baba Jamal again held the seat, narrowly defeating Kofi Asare by under 300 votes.
- 2016: The NPP’s Mercy Adu-Gyamfi (Ama Sey) handed the party its biggest margin in Akwatia’s history, defeating Baba Jamal by over 5,500 votes.
- 2020: The pendulum swung back to the NDC when Henry Yiadom Boakye narrowly ousted Ernest Yaw Kumi.
- 2024: Kumi reclaimed the seat for the NPP with a margin of 2,063 votes, though the result was challenged in court before being upheld by the Supreme Court.
The reputation of Akwatia as a constituency where neither party can take victory for granted has been solidified by this back-and-forth.
Bernard Bediako Baidoo, a 40-year-old lawyer and constituency secretary, is running for the NDC.
With 380 votes, he defeated former MP Henry Yiadom Boakye and Erasmus Koney Ali to win the party’s August 4, 2025, primary. His previous position as Boakye’s attorney in the petition for the 2024 election gives his campaign a distinctive edge.
Solomon Kwame Asumadu, a 40-year-old All Nations University graduate and licensed small-scale miner, has received support from the NPP.
After party deliberations, he was praised after Ama Sey and other candidates resigned. Asumadu has boldly predicted a landslide victory and positioned himself as the political “Joshua” who will replace Kumi’s “Moses.”
Both candidates are stepping up their outreach as election day draws near.
- The NDC’s campaign is driven by grassroots mobilisation, with Baidoo actively engaging traders, youth groups, and opinion leaders. He has received the backing of senior government officials and national executives of the party.
- The NPP’s strategy has centred on unity walks, door-to-door interactions, and promises of infrastructure development, with Asumadu supported by MPs and party stalwarts.
Security has emerged as a primary concern due to the political history of the constituency.
In order to keep the peace before the by-election, the Ghana Police Service sent 5,500 officers to Akwatia.
Isaac Jay Hyde, the NPP’s Deputy National Youth Organizer, urged composure during his appearance on GTV’s Current Agenda on Saturday, August 30, 2025.
He stressed that Ghana “has suffered too many tragedies to continue on the path of needless hostility” and encouraged all political actors to refrain from using provocative language.
Many people saw the by-election as an early referendum on how well President John Dramani Mahama’s administration has performed, only seven months into his most recent term.
The poll is equally important for the NPP since it will gauge the party’s capacity to remain competitive in the opposition.
With 184 of 276 seats in Parliament, the NDC presently holds a supermajority.
Four independents and 88 votes are held by the NPP.
After NDC MP Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed passed away on August 6, 2025, two seats, Akwatia and Tamale Central, remained vacant.
The NPP has said it will not run in the Tamale Central by-election scheduled for September 30, 2025, by the Electoral Commission.
As the constituency goes to the elections on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, all eyes will be on Akwatia.
The by-election, which has a history of close races and national symbolism, will determine who will represent the people of Akwatia in Parliament and may also determine the direction of future political conflicts.
Source: newsthemegh.com