Five NPP members declare bid to contest Akwatia primary

Five members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Akwatia Constituency of the Eastern Region have officially declared their intention to contest the party’s upcoming primary ahead of a by-election.

The aspirants are:

1. Yaw Addo, the Constituency Chairman
2. Kwasi Boateng, 2nd Vice Chairman
3. Kofi Nyame
4. Lawyer Yaw Wiredu
5. Former MP Ama Sey

The primary, whose date is yet to be set by regional executives, follows the death of sitting MP Ernest Yaw Kumi on Monday, July 7, 2025.

Speaking to Onua News’ Nsem Titire, aspirant Kofi Nyame confirmed the group is awaiting official direction from party leadership to proceed with their campaigns.

He also addressed speculation about a possible candidacy by Mavis Kumi, the late MP’s widow, whose posters have surfaced on social media.

“She has no intention of running,” Nyame clarified.

The late Ernest Kumi, aged 40, won the Akwatia seat during the 2024 general election, securing 19,269 votes against Henry Yiadom Boakye of the NDC, who polled 17,206.

Kumi’s tenure was clouded by a legal battle that challenged his eligibility. He was convicted of contempt in February 2025 for defying a court injunction against his swearing-in. However, in June 2025, the Supreme Court overturned the conviction, citing judicial bias.

The upcoming primary and subsequent by-election are expected to be fiercely contested, with the NPP looking to retain a seat that has shifted hands multiple times in recent election cycles.