5 NPP members declare bid for Akwatia seat ahead of by-election

Five members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Akwatia are stepping up to contest the party’s primary following the untimely death of MP Ernest Yaw Kumi.

Among the hopefuls are Constituency Chairman Yaw Addo, his 2nd Vice Chair Kwasi Boateng, lawyer Yaw Wiredu, former MP Ama Sey, and Mr. Kofi Nyame.

The Eastern Region’s party executives have yet to announce a date for the primary, but the aspirants aren’t waiting quietly.

Posters are going up, interviews are rolling in, and local support is beginning to take shape.

Mr. Nyame, speaking in an interview, said, “We’re only waiting for the regional leadership to give us the green light to begin campaigning”.

Social media has been abuzz with speculation around Kumi’s widow, Mavis Kumi, whose posters recently surfaced.

However, Former District Chief Executive (DCE) for Denkyembour in the Eastern Region, Seth Birikorang, has stated categorically that she has no intention of contesting the seat.

The by-election has drawn attention beyond party lines, not just because of Kumi’s sudden death on July 7, but due to his dramatic tenure.

At just 40, Ernest Kumi was seen as a rising force in the NPP, clinching the Akwatia seat in 2024 after a fierce race. His political journey, marked by a legal battle and a Supreme Court reversal in June 2025, ended abruptly.

Now, Akwatia’s political future is once again up in the air, and these five contenders are gearing up to shape it.