The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Ernest Yaw Anim polled 15,264 votes representing 70.91% to win the Kumawu Constituency by-election and thus retains the seat for the party.
The by-election was expected to be closely fought following the high stakes invested in the seat by both the ruling NPP and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), whose candidate Kwasi Amankwaa, came a distant second with 3,727 votes or 17.29 per cent.
Supporters of the NPP even ahead of the official announcement of collated results hit the streets from various polling centres in wild celebration, satisfied with the local results and convinced, Ernest Anim, an economist and a chartered accountant was on his way to represent them in parliament.
.The two other contestants in the by-election, both named Kwaku Duah, equally did not provide much of a contest, sharing between them a paltry 2,540 votes or 11.8%.
- Ernest Yaw Anim (NPP) : 15,264 (70.91%)
- Kwasi Amankwaa (NDC) : 3,723 ( 17.29%)
- Kwaku Duah (Ind. 1) : 2,478 (11.51%)
- Kwaku Duah (Ind. 2) : 62. ( 0.29%)
The polls saw a heavy deployment of the police, with fears that the exercise could degenerate into violence, however, save from pockets of disagreements from some of the polling centres which were resolved, the by-election was highly peaceful.
The seat became vacant following the death of NPP’s Member of Parliament for the area, Philip Basoah, and with the acute balance of power in parliament between the two main parties, the Kumawu seat was a critical addition and pitched the poll as a game changer for both parties.
The NPP has always won the seat since 2000, but the party left nothing to chance, providing opportunities for party bigwigs to tour the constituency and whip up support for its candidate. That effort saw Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, other presidential aspirants Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto and Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen all descend on the constituency to campaign for support.
