The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has retained the Kumawu constituency seat in the Ashanti region in a by-election yesterday.
At the time of going to press, provisional results indicated that NPP’s Ernest Yaw Anim obtained 15,260 of the valid votes cast, representing 70.91%.
His closest contender, Kwasi Amankwah of the National Democratic (NDC) polled 3,719 votes, representing 17.29% whilst the two independent candidates both named Kwaku Duah had 2,478 and 62, representing 15.52% and 0.29% respectively.
The Electoral Commission (EC) organised the by-election following the death of the governing party’s Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Philip Basoah.
In the 2020 parliamentary election, NPP’s Philip Basoah won the seat with 14,960, representing 51.11% of the total valid votes cast and one of the independent candidates who said to be a renegade from the governing party, Kwaku Duah is also contesting in the election.
He obtained 11,698 in 2020, representing 39.96% of the valid votes cast.
Ahead of the polls, bigwigs of the two main political parties were in Kumawu to woo votes for their respective candidates.
Tensions were high as the political parties fought tooth and nail for the coveted parliamentary seat.
Former President John Dramani Mahama led the NDC team to the constituency on Friday and called on the electorate to vote massively for their candidate.
The NPP other was led by President Nana Akufo-Addo and Vice President Bawumia with his wife Samira.
All the NPP bigshots were also in Kumawu to attend the final funeral rites of Philip Basoah on Saturday.
On Sunday, the NPP held a massive rally with all the speakers calling on voters in the constituency to turn out in their numbers to vote for Ernest Yaw Anim for NPP to retain the seat.
