The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is aiming to hold onto the Akwatia parliamentary seat in an upcoming by-election set for September 2, framing the contest as both a political imperative and a tribute to the late Member of Parliament, Ernest Yaw Kumi.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Akwatia Watch on Thursday, campaign spokesperson Kwame Owiredu said the party remains confident in its chances, despite the somber mood surrounding the vote.
“The NPP is poised to retain the Akwatia seat,” Owiredu said. “Even though we are mourning our late MP Hon. Ernest Kumi, we are still determined to keep the seat — and the political atmosphere on the ground supports this belief.”
Mr. Kumi’s passing triggered the by-election in the Eastern Region constituency, turning the race into a test of the NPP’s political foothold in the area as it seeks to maintain its parliamentary numbers ahead of the 2028 general elections.
Owiredu suggested that the vote is as much symbolic as it is strategic. “This is a vote to vindicate and honour the name of Ernest Yaw Kumi,” he said, pointing to widespread support within the constituency.
But the ruling parties remain skeptical of the NPP’s messaging. Nathaniel Tetteh, Deputy Youth Organiser for the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Eastern Region, described the NPP’s campaign as lacking direction and substance.
“They are gasping for breath,” Tetteh said, accusing the party of leaning too heavily on tributes to the late MP rather than presenting a compelling vision for the future. “There’s no message for the people of Akwatia.”
The Akwatia by-election is being closely watched as a barometer of voter sentiment in the region and as an early indicator of momentum ahead of broader national contests.
