Voters in Ablekuma North are heading to the polls today in a high-stakes parliamentary rerun that could shift the political balance in Ghana’s legislature and reshape local party dynamics. The rerun comes after months of legal and electoral disputes following the December 2024 general elections.
The contest has narrowed to two key figures: Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and Ewurabena Aubynn of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie (NPP)
A seasoned politician, Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie served as Member of Parliament for Ablekuma North from 2017 to 2021 and was recently appointed Deputy CEO of the Coastal Development Authority. In December 2024, she narrowly led the parliamentary contest with a reported 440-vote margin before the results were contested.
Despite the NPP’s decision to boycott the rerun, Afriyie has defied the party and is standing as a candidate, backed by a wave of grassroots support. She insists she legitimately won the original election and is seeking to reaffirm that mandate at the polls today.
”I am contesting. We are fully prepared,” she stated, with local NPP leaders and even former MP Sheila Bartels rallying behind her in open defiance of the party’s leadership.
Afriyie has focused her campaign on local representation, emphasizing her roots in the constituency and her record in office.
Ewurabena Aubynn (NDC)
Businesswoman and first-time parliamentary candidate Ewurabena Aubynn represents the NDC’s hopes of flipping a traditionally NPP-held seat. Aubynn and her party maintain that she was the rightful winner of the December 2024 polls and view today’s rerun as a chance to restore electoral fairness.
”The people of Ablekuma North are ready for change,” said the NDC’s Greater Accra director of elections, Joshua Alabi.
The NDC has mounted a united and intensive campaign on Aubynn’s behalf, with party leaders and MPs canvassing throughout the constituency. Her campaign has emphasized transparency, justice, and a renewed focus on development in the area.
Today’s rerun covers 19 polling stations where irregularities led the Electoral Commission to void previous results. The EC has assured voters of a credible and transparent process, with polls scheduled to close at 5 p.m.
A victory for Aubynn would give the NDC a rare win in the NPP-leaning constituency and boost its strength in Parliament. On the other hand, a win for Afriyie achieved outside her party’s official backing would underscore her personal political strength and expose divisions within the NPP.
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Story by Cindy Selasi Humade|univers.ug edu.gh
Edited by Michelle Lartey
