Ewurabena Aubynn of the ruling National Democratic Congress was officially sworn in Tuesday,July 22, as the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma North, following a tightly contested rerun election that overturned the initial December 2024 results.
The ceremony, held in Parliament and administered by Speaker Alban Bagbin, was marked by partisan tensions. The Minority Caucus staged a walkout moments before the swearing-in, after Speaker Bagbin denied a request by Minority Chief Whip Frank Annor Dompreh to address the House prior to the event.
Ms. Aubynn’s narrow victory in the July rerun—just 209 votes ahead of New Patriotic Party incumbent Akua Afriyie—followed the Electoral Commission’s decision to annul the earlier vote in 19 polling stations. That decision came after widespread reports of irregularities, including unsigned pink sheets and discrepancies in tally figures.
The rerun outcome gives the NDC a symbolic win in a constituency long considered a stronghold of the ruling New Patriotic Party, potentially signaling shifting political dynamics ahead of the 2028 general elections. Ms. Aubynn secured 34,090 votes to Ms. Afriyie’s 33,881.
The Electoral Commission cited procedural violations and unauthenticated result forms as key reasons for nullifying the original results. The Commission’s move drew both criticism and praise but underscored mounting calls for greater transparency and accountability in Ghana’s electoral process.
Ms. Aubynn’s swearing-in bolsters the NDC’s parliamentary numbers and injects fresh momentum into the opposition's broader legislative strategy.
