A political scientist at the University of Ghana, Dr Kwame Asah-Asante, has urged the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to rethink its strategy in the Ayawaso East constituency following the recent by-election.
Speaking on the JoyNews AM show on Wednesday, March 4, Dr Asah-Asante said the party has been underperforming in the area.
“You realise that the NPP has not been doing well in that area. And going forward, I expect them to build capacity in that constituency because from the records it is clear to me that they are losing it out,” he stated.
He advised that the party should conduct research in the constituency to understand the needs and interests of the residents.
“If they really want to shore up their votes in there, they need to take up research in that area, do a comprehensive analysis of that research, and then know the interests of the people and begin to go in there,” Dr Asah-Asante said.
Highlighting the strategic importance of the area, he added, “That is a critical part of Accra that you always, as a party, and of course a dominant one, need to have a representation one day in that area.”
The Ayawaso East constituency went to the polls to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant by the death of four-term MP Naser Toure Mahama, who passed away on January 4, following a period of illness at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
NDC candidate Alhaji Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed won the seat decisively, securing 10,884 votes—representing 63 per cent of valid ballots cast against his closest rival, NPP’s Baba Ali Yussif, who polled 4,009 votes.
Baba Jamal, a lawyer and former MP for Akwatia, previously served as a Deputy Minister during the first term of President John Dramani Mahama and was recently recalled as Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria over allegations of voter inducement during the party’s constituency primaries, claims that were later found to be unfounded.
About the Author
