The Electoral Commission has declared Ernest Yaw Anim of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) winner of Tuesday’s by-election in Kumawu Constituency in the Ashanti Region by a landslide.
The NPP’s candidate polled 15,264 votes representing 70.91% to retain the seat for the party in a contest many had predicted a win for the NPP in a Constituency which is one of the government’s strongholds.
The candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Kwasi Amankwaa managed a paltry 3,727 votes representing 17.29 percent.
- 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%)
- Total valid votes – 21,527
- Rejected – 204
- Total votes cast – 21,731
- Registered voters – 34,790
- Turnout – 62.46%
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 to whip up support for its candidate.