NPP Skips Primary Process, Endorses Kwame Asumadu as Candidate for Akwatia By-Election
- The New Patriotic Party has chosen Solomon Kwame Asumadu to be its candidate in Akwatia
- The by-election in the constituency is a result of the death of the sitting MP for Akwatia, Ernest Kumi
- According to the NPP, the decision to choose Asumadu was made after consulting with stakeholders
The New Patriotic Party has endorsed Solomon Kwame Asumadu as its parliamentary candidate for the upcoming Akwatia by-election without a primary process.
Asumadu is the Chief Executive Officer of Owuo Mining Company.
Source: Facebook
According to the party, the decision was made after stakeholder consultations.
During the consultations, a proposal to hold primaries was rejected in favour of a consensus approach.
Addressing journalists in Parliament on July 28, Eastern Regional NPP Chairman Jeff Konadu Addo explained the process that led to the selection.
“People went into the constituency and gathered all the names of individuals who had expressed interest. After assessing the report on who the most suitable candidate could be, the party found that Kwame Asumadu Solomon had emerged as the clear choice.”
He added that the party’s findings were presented to the national council, which subsequently gave the green light to proceed with the necessary processes.
By-election necessary after Akwatia MP's death
The by-election has been necessitated by the death of the sitting MP for Akwatia, Ernest Kumi.
On the National Democratic Congress side of the fence, three aspirants have picked up nomination forms to contest a primary.
The three are former Members of Parliament: Henry Boakye, the current NDC Akwatia Constituency Secretary, Bernard Bediako Baidoo, and Erasmus Koney Ali.
According to the party’s outlined timetable, aspirants who submit nominations before the deadline on Wednesday, July 30, will undergo vetting on Thursday, July 31.
Balloting will follow immediately to determine positions ahead of the primaries, scheduled for Monday, 4 August 2025.
When did Akwatia MP Ernest Kumi die?
Kumi died aged 40 on July 7, reportedly after experiencing some health issues.
Shortly before his death, he overturned a conviction for contempt related to the disputed 2024 parliamentary election results.
Source: Facebook
The NPP in the Eastern Region said Kumi was a committed servant of the party.
Kumi was born in 1984 in Akyem Wenchi in Ghana and studied at the Regional Maritime University and earned a Bachelor of Science in Ports and Shipping Administration in 2009.
He later pursued a Master of Business Administration in Corporate Governance at the University of Professional Studies in 2014.
In 2019, he obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Mountcrest University College. He also completed a Master of Science in Defence and International Politics from the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College in 2022.
Ayariga's comments on Akwatia seat prompt protest
YEN.com.gh also reported that the Minority in Parliament walked out during proceedings on July 17 in protest of comments made by Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga concerning the death of Kumi.
Ayariga asked Speaker Alban Bagbin when the Akwatia seat would be formally declared vacant.The Minority said the remarks were insensitive, calling them premature and politicising a period of mourning.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
