The Electoral Commission (EC) has announced that the Akwatia by-election will be held on Tuesday, 2 September 2025.
The by-election has become necessary following the death of the Member of Parliament for Akwatia, Ernest Yaw Kumi of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who passed away on 7 July 2025.
Located in the Denkyembour District of the Eastern Region, Akwatia has been a significant constituency in Ghana’s electoral landscape. The late MP, Ernest Yaw Kumi, reclaimed the seat for the NPP in the 2024 parliamentary elections.
The NPP is yet to officially declare its candidate, but reports suggest that Solomon Kwame Asumadu has been selected as the party’s preferred candidate for the by-election.
In preparation for the by-election, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has opened nominations for its parliamentary primaries, with the filing period set from 28 to 31 July 2025.
The party will hold its primaries on Sunday, 4 August, with reduced filing fees for women and persons with disabilities (PWDs) as part of efforts to promote inclusive political participation.
Background
Ernest Kumi died on Monday (7 July) at the age of 40, following what is believed to have been a cardiac arrest.
The sudden passing of Kumi is the second time an NPP MP for the constituency has died in office under tragic circumstances.
In February 2017, the constituency mourned the loss of Kofi Asare, who succumbed to injuries he sustained in a motor crash on the Nkawkaw-Kumasi highway.
First elected in the December 2024 general election, Ernest Kumi championed health, youth empowerment and infrastructure in the Eastern Region.
Though still in the early days of his tenure, Kumi had already initiated borehole projects, supported education and was advocating for a vocational training centre to be established in Akwatia. He served on the youth and sports and budget committees of Parliament, and was gaining bipartisan respect.
His seat was the subject of a long-drawn-out dispute after last year’s election.
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