The Ablekuma North constituency parliamentary rerun election, held on Friday, July 11th, 2025, concluded with the declaration of Ewurabena Aubynn of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as the winner. This victory, secured with 34,090 votes against Nana Akua Afriyie’s 33,881 votes for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), marks a significant political shift, wresting the seat from the NPP’s near-continuous hold since 1996. The election, however, was marred by a violent incident at the St. Peter’s Society polling station, where unidentified individuals stormed the premises, assaulting voters and temporarily halting the voting process. The incident prompted immediate responses from both political parties and calls for a thorough investigation.
The NDC vehemently denied any involvement in the disruption, dismissing allegations of deploying “macho men” to intimidate voters. Rashid Tanko-Computer, the NDC’s Deputy Director of Elections and IT, asserted the party’s confidence in state security and attributed their victory to their track record of performance. He emphasized that the NDC ran a clean campaign and urged the appropriate authorities to investigate the incident, identify the perpetrators, and hold them accountable. He placed the responsibility squarely within the domain of law enforcement agencies to uncover the truth behind the attack.
The disruption at St. Peter’s Society polling station saw reported assaults on several individuals, including NPP parliamentary candidate Nana Akua Afriyie and former Fisheries Minister Mavis Hawa Koomson. Journalists on the ground confirmed the attacks, which led to the deployment of additional security personnel to restore order and ensure the safety of voters. Following the intervention, voting resumed under heightened security, allowing the electoral process to continue. The incident, while concerning, did not ultimately prevent the completion of the rerun.
The rerun election itself was necessitated by unresolved issues stemming from the December 7th, 2024 general elections, which had left the Ablekuma North seat vacant. Months of legal battles and political tension followed, culminating in the decision to hold a rerun. The outcome of the rerun has brought a decisive end to the prolonged uncertainty, definitively establishing Ewurabena Aubynn as the elected representative for the constituency. The NDC’s win increases their parliamentary representation to 184 seats, granting them a commanding two-thirds majority in the House.
The victory in Ablekuma North holds significant implications for the NDC. Not only does it represent a gain in a historically NPP-held constituency, but it also solidifies their dominant position in parliament. This enhanced majority will likely empower the NDC to advance their legislative agenda and exert greater influence on the political landscape. While celebrating their victory, the NDC has maintained its stance of conducting a fair and clean campaign, emphasizing their commitment to democratic principles and rejecting any association with violence or intimidation.
Despite the successful conclusion of the rerun and the clear outcome, the incident at St. Peter’s Society polling station remains a critical issue requiring further attention. Calls for a thorough and impartial investigation are growing louder, with demands for accountability for those responsible for the violence. Determining the identities and motives of the attackers is paramount to ensuring the integrity of the electoral process and maintaining public trust in democratic institutions. A comprehensive investigation will not only address the specific incident but also contribute to preventing similar disruptions in future elections.
