Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has stated that despite the National Democratic Congress’ defeat in the Kumawu by-election, some gains were made.
New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Ernest Yaw Anim was elected Kumawu MP after polling 15,264 votes while NDC’s Kwasi Amankwaa, secured 3,727 of the total valid votes cast on Tuesday, May 23, 2023.
According to Mr Ablakwa, the NDC improved its number of votes in the NPP’s stronghold, hence Mr Amankwaa ought to be praised.
“The NDC’s Kwasi Amankwaa deserves lots of credit for improving our 2020 fortunes by securing 3,723 valid votes representing 17.29% as compared with 2,439 (8.33%) garnered by his predecessor.
Mr. Amankwaa thus moved from 3rd to 2nd position with an overall improvement from 2020 of 52.6% compared with a measly improvement of 2% by the NPP,” he wrote in a Facebook post today, May 24, 2023.
Mr Ablakwa believes the NDC’s significant gains in the NPP’s stronghold of Kumawu despite “the blatant abuse of incumbency manifested by overnight development projects and condemnable vote-buying” is both instructive and a cautionary tale to the NPP, particularly as turn-out still dropped by some 7,744 “regardless of the avalanche of inducements.”
The Tuesday polls saw heavy deployment of the police in several voting centres following reports of vote buying and electoral malpractice but there were no cases of violence.
The Kumawu seat became vacant following the death of former MP for the area, Philip Basoah, who passed away on March 23, 2023. He was laid to rest on Saturday, May 20, 2023.
The late MP, Philip Basoah polled 14,960 to win the seat for the NPP in the 2020 parliamentary polls, representing 51.11% of valid votes cast.
The independent candidate, Duah Kwaku polled 11,698 votes (39.96%) to come in second whiles the NDC’s Bernard Opoku Marfo polled a paltry 2,439 votes (8.33%), the only other candidate was Nana Amoako of GUM who got 174 (0.59%).