The people of Akwatia in the Eastern Region, will return to the polls tomorrow, Tuesday, September 2, 2025, to elect a new Member of Parliament in a by-election. This contest comes with high stakes, complex dynamics and a history of tension.

The by-election, follows the death of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP, Ernest Yaw Kumi, who won the seat in the December 2024 general election but died on  July 7, 2025. His brief six-month parliamentary career was marred by controversy, as his victory was challenged in court and his swearing-in ceremony was overshadowed by legal wrangling.

The NPP, has fielded Solomon Kwame Asumadu, who has been described as a small-scale miner and the constituency treasurer. At the same time, the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has nominated Bernard Bediako, the constituency secretary and a lawyer by profession.

Solomon Asumadu, who was unanimously endorsed by the NPP, hails from Boadua, one of the most vibrant towns in the constituency. However, the NDC wins Boadua, albeit with a small margin.

The NDC’s Bernard Bediako is from Takorase with roots in Kusi and Wenchi. The Wenchi area is a known stronghold of the NPP and is also recognized as one of the flashpoints in the region.

Intriguingly, the two men share a lawyer–client history. Mr Bediako, previously acted as counsel for Mr Asumadu in legal disputes. The lawyer had also served as legal counsel for the former NDC MP, Henry Boakye-Yiadom, in cases brought against the Electoral Commission (EC), Ernest Kumi, and the Clerk to Parliament.

On  January 3, 2025, Mr Bediako secured an interim injunction from the Koforidua High Court, restraining Mr Kumi from being sworn in as MP. Despite the order, Kumi took the oath of office on January 7, 2025, an act that later landed him in contempt of court.

In February 2025, Justice Emmanuel Senyo Amadehe of the Koforidua High Court, convicted Kumi of contempt and issued a bench warrant for his arrest after he repeatedly failed to appear in court.

However, on  June 11, 2025, the Supreme Court, overturned the conviction in a 4–1 majority decision, with Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang dissenting. The ruling effectively barred Justice Amadehe from proceeding with any sentencing.

Kumi’s legal team, led by Gary Nimako Marfo, had argued that the High Court lacked jurisdiction since the EC had not gazetted the Akwatia results when the petition was filed. They also accused the judge of bias and breaches of natural justice.

 The Supreme Court’s decision vindicated those arguments, quashing the contempt ruling and related orders.

The by-election campaign has been marked by high political intensity. Posters, branded merchandise and street rallies dominate Akwatia, with allegations of vote-buying and intimidation further fuelling tensions.

Both major parties have opted for fresh candidates, adding an element of unpredictability to the race. The Ghana Police Service has deployed 5,500 officers across the constituency in an unprecedented show of force for a by-election, aimed at ensuring voter confidence and safeguarding the collation process.

NDC Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah has sought to project Bernard Bediako as a tested and competent candidate, highlighting his past legal representation for his political rivals as evidence of his professional credibility.

“If a man can defend you in court, surely he is also capable of representing the people of Akwatia in Parliament,” Mr Asiedu Nketiah told supporters last week, suggesting that Mr Asumadu’s reliance on his opponent for legal services raises questions about his own suitability.

Akwatia has long been one of Ghana’s most fiercely contested constituencies, often swinging between the NPP and NDC. Since 1992, the NPP has won the seat five times against the NDC’s four, cementing its reputation as a bellwether.

According to a Citi TV-commissioned poll, only 4 per cent of voters say sympathy for the late Kumi will influence their choice. The same survey suggests that the NDC is slightly ahead, giving them a potential edge in the by-election, as most people want to be with the ruling party to access government social amenities, compared to the opposition NPP.

For the NDC, a win would strengthen their political legitimacy and consolidate their hold as the ruling party, even though their parliamentary majority is already secure. For the NPP, victory could revive grassroots morale and counter growing perceptions of decline.

Given Akwatia’s turbulent history with by-election violence, the heavy security presence underscores the stakes not just for the two parties, but for Ghana’s democratic integrity as a whole.

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