Certified results from Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election

By Godwill Arthur-Mensah/Iddi Yireh, GNA

Accra, Feb.1, GNA - Madam Lydia Seyram Alhassan, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election won the polls with 12,041votes, representing 68.80 per cent of the total valid votes cast.

Mr Delali Kwasi Brempong, of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) came second with 5,341(30.52%), Mr William Kofi Doworkpor, of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) had 102 (0.58%) to place third, while Mr Clement Boadi, of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) secured 17( 0.10%) to place fourth.

A total of 17,589 votes were cast at the polls, with 17,501 votes being valid out of the 88,710 registered voters on the constituency register, representing 19.83% of voter turnout.

There were 88 rejected ballots.

Mr Alex Oppong-Poku, the Returning Office of the Electoral Commission at the Constituency announced the certified results at the University of Ghana Central Cafeteria and declared Madam Lydia Seyram Alhassan, the NPP parliamentary candidate as the MP Elect.

The announcement sparked spontaneous jubilation from the party’s enthusiastic supporters amidst shouting the catchphrase often used by the former MP, Emmanuel Kyeremanteng Agyarko, “edeho plain”, literally means it is clear.

The NPP supporters also sang happy birthday song for the MP Elect since the by-election coincided with her birthday therefore the victory was an icing on the cake.

Madam Alhassan, who is also the wife of the late MP, in a brief remark, expressed profound appreciation to her constituents for the honour bestowed on her to represent them in Parliament, thanked the President for his unflinching support and the entire NPP family for rallying behind her through thick and thin.

She believed her endorsement was an affirmation by Ghanaians of the good works by the Nana Akufo-Addo-led government, saying;”Mr President, this is a referendum and a “yes vote” for your works and the work begins from now”.

Madam Alhassan re-affirmed her earlier pledge to pursue “Youth in Entrepreneurshipp” programme to make the youth in the constituency self-employed and financially-independent.

Mr John Boadu, the General Secretary of the NPP, said statistics from the polls showed that the party had improved on its previous performance by winning in 131 polling stations out of 137, increasing from the 106 polling stations it won in the 2016 elections.

Madam Alhassan’s victory brings to six the number of times the NPP has won the Ayawaso West Wuogon seat, as against two by the NDC.

The voting pattern between the two major political party contenders in the constituency since 1992 when the nation returned to multi-party democracy.

The 1992 parliamentary election had Mr Francis Napoleon K. Kumah, of the National Convention Party (NCP), an appendage of the NDC, who won the seat.

In 1996 election, Madam Rebecca Akweley Adotey, of the NDC polled 15,089 votes to win the seat, but Mr Isaac Amoo, the NPP’s parliamentary candidate, challenged the results in court and it declared null and void by the court.

In 2000 elections, the NPP’s candidate Isaac Amoo won the seat with 17,555 votes to defeat the NDC’s candidate, Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah who garnered 11,388 votes.

In 2004 election, Madam Akosua Frema Osei Opare secured victory with 28,636 votes to beat Mr Samuel Adiepena, of the NDC, who had 20,828.

Madam Akosua Frema Osei Opare, the current Chief of Staff, stood on the ticket of the NPP and won with 24,603 votes to unleash a painful defeat on Mr Albert Kwadwo Twum Boafo, of the NDC, who had 21,564 votes.

Mr Emmanuel Kyeremanteng Agyarko, of the NPP won the seat when he secured 31,807 defeating his NDC contender Mr Kwame Awuah-Darko, of the NDC, who had 30,116 votes.

In the 2016 election, Mr Agyarko, of the NPP, retained the seat by securing 32,591 votes, with the NDC’s Mr Delali Kwasi Brempong receiving 22,534 votes.

GNA

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