The Director of Elections and Research for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Evans Nimako, has called for a national conversation on the relevance and cost-effectiveness of by-elections, citing persistently low voter turnout as a major concern.
Speaking in an interview on Joy FM’s Midday News on Wednesday, Mr Nimako said that although political parties commit substantial resources to by-elections, voter participation often remains disappointingly low.
Reflecting on the recent Ayawaso East by-election, he noted that out of approximately 49,900 registered voters in the constituency, only about 17,000 cast their ballots.
“You look at the turnout of a constituency that has 49,900 voters, and only 17,000 people come out to vote. Where is the 33,000?” he questioned.
“As I have my personal opinion about by-elections, if you look at the history, most of the time turnout in by-elections is very low. Yet stakeholders spend huge resources in this contestation. I think as a nation, it is high time we give it a second look,” he stated.
Despite his concerns, Mr Nimako stressed that the NPP made a deliberate decision to contest the Ayawaso East seat. He acknowledged that the candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) secured more votes but maintained that electoral outcomes must be assessed within the broader political history and dynamics of each constituency.
“You have to look at the political history of the constituency. In all the 276 constituencies, there are strongholds, swing areas and balanced seats. When you are going into elections, you factor all those into consideration,” he explained.
He dismissed suggestions that the result signals a significant shift in the party’s support base, noting that no political party has ever won all parliamentary seats in Ghana.
Mr Nimako assured supporters that the NPP would review its performance and continue engaging constituents ahead of future elections.
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