The National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Bernard Bediako Baidoo, has won the Akwatia by-election held on September 2, 2025, securing a parliamentary seat for the opposition party.
Baidoo polled 18,199 votes, defeating the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, Solomon Asumadu, who garnered 15,235 votes. The by-election was conducted across 119 polling stations, with more than 33,000 voters turning out to cast their ballots.
Following this victory, the composition of the 9th Parliament of Ghana now stands as:
- NDC – 184 seats
- NPP – 87 seats
- Independent – 4 seats
Why the By-Election Was Held
The Akwatia by-election was necessitated by the death of the former Member of Parliament, Ernest Yaw Kumi, who passed away after a short illness.
Security and Incidents Recorded
Despite a generally peaceful voting process, some disturbances were reported. One individual was arrested after chaos broke out at the NDC party office where campaign posters of the winning candidate were destroyed.
In a separate incident at the Akwatia Lorry Polling Station, a fight erupted between NPP’s Third National Vice Chairman, Osman Masawudu, and NDC’s First National Vice Chairman, Awudu Sofo Azorka, while voting was ongoing.
To ensure order, over 5,500 police officers were deployed to Akwatia. The Inspector General of Police (IGP), COP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, toured several polling centers on election day, assuring Ghanaians of a peaceful electoral process.
Significance of the Win
The NDC’s victory at Akwatia further strengthens the party’s dominance in Parliament, giving it a wider margin over the ruling NPP. This win is also expected to boost the confidence of the NDC ahead of the 2028 general elections.
