The Electoral Commission (EC) has confirmed that six candidates have been given the green light to participate in the upcoming Ejisu by-election, slated for Tuesday, April 30.
The nomination period ended on Thursday, April 18, with some contenders rushing to submit their forms at the EC’s Ejisu district office in the Ashanti Region.
Leading the group is Lawyer Kwabena Boateng, the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) parliamentary aspirant, who secured the second position.
Former MP Ing. Kwabena Owusu Aduomi, running as an independent candidate, will be fourth on the ballot, while Beatrice Boakye representing the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) will appear third.
Esther Osei is the Convention People’s Party (CPP) candidate, listed first on the ballot. The last two spots are held by Gabriel Agyemang Joseph and Joseph Attakora, both independent candidates designated fifth and sixth, respectively.
However, the nomination process faced controversy when executives of the CPP reportedly tried to block their own parliamentary candidate, Esther Osei, from submitting her nomination papers.
Regional Chairman Emmanuel Gallo purportedly instructed the EC not to accept the documents, causing uncertainty for Osei’s campaign team.
This incident arose due to an internal dispute within the CPP, following the resignation of several top officials. Deputy National Organiser Eric Osei Boateng criticized the Regional Chairman’s actions and clarified that the internal issues have been resolved by the High Court.
Following communication with the EC regional office and headquarters, the nomination forms have been accepted.
The final list of candidates for the Ejisu by-election is as follows:
Esther Osei (CPP)
Lawyer Kwabena Boateng (NPP)
Beatrice Boakye (LPG)
Kwabena Owusu Aduomi (Independent)
Gabriel Agyemang Joseph (Independent)
Attakorah Joseph (Independent)
The by-election, scheduled for April 30, 2024, under the supervision of the Electoral Commission, aims to elect a Parliamentary representative for the Ejisu Constituency following the passing of Member of Parliament John Kuma, who also served as the deputy finance minister, on March 7, 2024.
Meanwhile, the largest opposition party, the NDC, has failed to nominate a candidate for the by-election, stirring speculation about the upcoming contest.
Former three-time New Patriotic Party member of Parliament Kwabena Owusu Aduomi, running as an independent candidate, is anticipated to give his former party a tough challenge.
The NPP allegedly supported Mrs. Helena Mensah, the presiding member of the Ejisu municipal assembly, and directed all the MMDCEs in the Greater Kumasi metropolis to campaign for her to secure the party’s parliamentary candidacy for the by-election, aiming to counter Aduomi’s influence in the constituency.
However, the delegates reportedly voted for Lawyer Kwabena Boateng, the former vice-chairman of the constituency, maintaining Aduomi’s camp’s unity ahead of the election.
Vote-buying Campaign
Twelve days before the by-election, the ruling New Patriotic Party has reportedly dispatched road contractors to the constituency to initiate road construction projects, aiming to sway voters.