The Electoral Commission has officially declared Ernest Kumi of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as the Member of Parliament-elect for Akwatia, following a protracted and highly contentious electoral process.
The declaration was made at the National Police Training School in Tesano, Accra, after multiple failed attempts to finalise the results in the Eastern Region.
Ernest Kumi garnered 19,269 votes, while the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) Henry Yiadom Boakye had 17,206 votes.
The Akwatia constituency, traditionally a stronghold for the NPP, became a focal point of national attention in the December 7 elections. What should have been a straightforward declaration of results turned into a prolonged process riddled with disputes, delays, and accusations from various quarters.
Ernest Kumi had previously won the NPP primary in 2023, defeating Ama Sey to secure the party’s ticket. His victory in the primary was seen as a sign of his growing influence within the party and his readiness to take on the general elections.
However, the subsequent electoral process proved to be anything but smooth, with controversies arising at nearly every stage.
The Akwatia constituency was one of four constituencies, alongside Suhum, Nsawam, and Fanteakwa North, whose results had to be relocated to the National Police Training School for final re-collation.
This decision came after repeated efforts to complete the collation in the Eastern Region were met with resistance and logistical challenges.
The relocation was necessitated by escalating tensions and allegations of irregularities during the initial collation process.
Both the NPP and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) had representatives at the Tesano venue, where the EC sought to ensure a neutral and secure environment for the final collation.
The move to Accra, while aimed at ensuring transparency and reducing tensions, drew mixed reactions.
Supporters of the NDC criticised the decision, arguing that it undermined the credibility of the process and disenfranchised local party representatives.
On the other hand, the NPP lauded the EC for taking decisive action to bring closure to the contentious election.
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