Accra, Ghana – The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has secured a significant victory in the Ablekuma North Constituency, with Ewurabena Aubynn emerging as the Member of Parliament-elect after a closely contested parliamentary rerun held on Friday, July 11, 2025. This win marks only the second time since 1992 that the governing party has claimed the traditionally New Patriotic Party (NPP) held seat, breaking years of dominance by the opposition.
Madam Aubynn garnered 34,090 votes, defeating NPP’s Akua Afriyie who polled 33,881 votes in the rerun conducted across 19 polling stations. The election brings an end to months of legal and electoral disputes that followed the December 7, 2024, general election, where an initial stalemate occurred due to allegations of irregularities and unauthenticated pink sheets.
The path to this rerun was fraught with challenges. After the December election, both the NPP and NDC claimed victory, with the NPP initially insisting its candidate, Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, had won by a margin of 414 votes. However, disputes over unendorsed pink sheets from 19 polling stations led to confusion during the collation process.
A High Court ruling in January 2025 directed the Electoral Commission (EC) to resume and complete collation, but fresh disputes and missing signatures ultimately forced the EC to announce the rerun.
Despite the NPP leadership initially declaring a boycott of the rerun, labeling the EC’s decision a “betrayal of electoral justice,” Nana Akua Afriyie defied the party’s directive and re-entered the race, reportedly with quiet support from grassroots members and prominent party figures.
The campaign leading up to the rerun was tense, with the NDC launching a full-scale effort led by regional and national figures. Ewurabena Aubynn presented herself as a symbol of change, appealing especially to younger and floating voters.
Election day, however, was marred by incidents of violence and chaos. At least one polling station experienced disruption from unidentified individuals, leading to reported assaults on Nana Akua Afriyie and former Fisheries Minister Hawa Koomson. The Ghana Police Service later announced the interdiction of an officer caught on video assaulting a journalist during the day’s events. Despite these incidents, voting proceeded across all 19 stations and concluded peacefully in most areas.
Aubynn’s victory delivers a stunning blow to the NPP, as Ablekuma North has long been considered a stronghold for the party, having won the constituency in every election since its creation. Observers suggest that the NPP’s internal divisions, conflicting signals regarding participation in the rerun, and the election day violence may have contributed to their loss of crucial support.
Ewurabena Aubynn’s win not only provides a morale boost for the NDC in Parliament but also signals a significant shift in the political landscape of the Greater Accra Region, where several traditionally safe seats are becoming increasingly competitive. Her victory officially concludes nearly eight months of political limbo for Ablekuma North.
Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
