The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has confirmed that three aspirants have picked up nomination forms to contest its parliamentary primaries for the Akwatia Constituency in the Eastern Region, scheduled for August 4, 2025.
The contenders are former MP Henry Boakye Yiadom, NDC Akwatia Constituency Secretary and lawyer Bernard Bediako Baidoo, and Erasmus Koney Ali, popularly known as Asanka, a former assembly member and presiding member.
According to the NDC’s timetable, announced by General Secretary Fifi Fiavi Kwetey on July 25, 2025, nominations opened on July 28 and will close on July 30.
Vetting of aspirants is set for July 31, followed by immediate balloting, with the primaries to select a candidate for the September 2, 2025, by-election. The by-election was necessitated by the death of MP Ernest Yaw Kumi on July 7, 2025, from a suspected cardiac arrest. The NDC has slashed filing fees by 50% for women and persons with disabilities to promote inclusivity.
Bernard Bediako Baidoo, who previously represented Henry Boakye Yiadom in a 2024 election petition against the late Kumi, told journalists his candidacy responds to grassroots calls for a unifying figure to address internal NDC divisions in Akwatia. “We have a peculiar problem in Akwatia within the ranks of the NDC, cracks… A fresh face would do,” he said, emphasizing his role as constituency secretary and his readiness to serve.
On the New Patriotic Party (NPP) side, Solomon Kwame Asumadu, CEO of Owuo Mining Company and constituency treasurer, has been endorsed as the candidate following extensive consultations led by a special committee under Eastern Regional Chairman Jeff Konadu. The NPP rejected proposals for a primary, opting for a consensus approach after grassroots feedback favored Asumadu over other contenders, including Ameyaw Kyeremeh, Lawyer Owuridu, Daniel Nyame, and Isaac Osei Appiah. His official acclamation is set for September 2, 2025. Konadu also debunked rumors that Mavis Kumi, the late MP’s widow, would contest, calling them “false and misleading.”
The Electoral Commission has scheduled the by-election for September 2, 2025, to replace Kumi, who had initiated development projects like boreholes and advocated for a vocational training center in Akwatia. Both parties are intensifying preparations in this key constituency, known for its competitive electoral history.
