NDC’s Ewurabena Aubynn Clinches Ablekuma North Parliamentary Seat

In a dramatic political upset, Ewurabena Aubynn of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has been declared the newly elected Member of Parliament for Ablekuma North, toppling the New Patriotic Party (NPP) after nearly three decades of uninterrupted control.

Ms. Aubynn clinched the seat with 34,090 votes, narrowly edging out her opponent, incumbent MP Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie of the NPP, who garnered 33,881 votes. The final tally also included 411 rejected ballots. Her win marks a significant turning point in the constituency’s political history, where the NPP has held sway since 1996.

The outcome followed a hotly contested rerun of elections in 19 polling stations, ordered by the Electoral Commission to address irregularities from the 2024 general elections. Prior to the rerun, the race was on a knife edge—Ms. Afriyie led by a slim margin of just 48 votes, with 32,512 votes to Ms. Aubynn’s 32,464 from 262 out of 281 polling stations. The rerun shifted the momentum in favour of the NDC, ultimately delivering Ms. Aubynn a narrow but decisive victory.

This win increases the NDC’s total parliamentary seats to 185, reflecting the party’s growing influence in constituencies previously considered NPP strongholds.

Disruptions and Tensions

While the rerun proceeded smoothly in most polling centres, two notable incidents threatened to disrupt the process.

At the Methodist Church polling station in Odorkor, former MP for Awutu Senya East, Mavis Hawa Koomson, was reportedly assaulted by unknown individuals after refusing to leave the polling centre despite police instructions. Eyewitnesses said she had visited earlier and returned later in the day, prompting tension among onlookers. Although she allegedly used pepper spray in self-defence, she was eventually attacked and had to be escorted from the area by security officials.

A second incident occurred at the Church of Pentecost polling station in Tsuimami, where GHOne TV journalist Agyekum Banahene was allegedly slapped by a police officer while covering the proceedings. The Ghana Police Service later confirmed that the officer involved had been interdicted pending an investigation.

Despite these isolated cases, voting continued across other polling centres with minimal disruption. At various polling stations in Odorkor and Kwashie Bu, voter turnout was moderate during the early hours, with reports of orderly conduct and cooperation between electoral officials and party agents.

High-Level Monitoring

The rerun attracted considerable attention from senior party officials from both major political parties.

Representing the NDC were Deputy General Secretary Mustapha Gbande, Head of Legal Affairs Edudzi Tamakloe, and Deputy Communications Director Malik Basintale. NDC Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah also toured several polling stations throughout the day.

On the NPP side, Sammi Awuku, MP for Akuapem North, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, MP for Assin South, along with former Health Minister Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye and former Greater Accra Regional Minister Titus Glover, were present to observe the proceedings.

Gratitude and Vision

Following her declaration as the MP-elect at the Greater Accra Regional EC office, Ewurabena Aubynn expressed her gratitude to the people of Ablekuma North for their confidence and support.

“This has been a journey full of challenges, but you, the people, never gave up on me,” she said. “Your faith in me has brought us here today. I will not let you down.”

She also thanked the NDC’s national and regional leadership for their guidance and pledged to serve her constituents with commitment and accountability.

“I will ensure that Ablekuma North gets its fair share of development and opportunities. Together, we’ll build a stronger and more inclusive future.”

Her win signals a major shift in the political landscape of Greater Accra and serves as a symbolic victory for the NDC as it seeks to expand its base ahead of future elections.