By Gifty Boateng
In a fiercely contested election, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) 2024 parliamentary candidate for the Ablekuma North constituency, Ewurabena Aubynn has finally snatched the seat for the first time in 28 years.
It is the first time since 1996, the governing party is winning the seat from the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), which prides itself as it stronghold.
The outcome of the election forms part of similar feats chalked by the party in many areas like the Dome Kwabenya, Ablekuma South, Sekondi constituencies among others.
Provisional result of the rerun held today Friday July 11 shows Ewurabena Aubynn securing 34, 163 representing 50.21 percent, while Akua Afriyie garnered 33, 881 representing 49.79 percent.
She won with a vote difference of 282. The win, gives the NDC an absolute majority of 184 seat in Parliament, excluding four independent candidates who are also doing business with the governing party.
In almost all the polling stations, the NDC’s candidate led her contender.
Akua Afriyie, who was the constituency’s MP from 2017 to 2020, had promised to win the seat despite the party announcing it boycott of the exercise, citing disagreement with the Electoral Commission (EC) decision to conduct the rerun.’
Like the Ayawaso West Wuogon by election, the rerun was marred with violence with several bigwigs of the NPP attacked physically.
Featuring prominently was the former Minister and MP for Awutu Senya West constituency, Mavis Hawa Koomson.
She was seen in a viral video at the Methodist Church St. Peter Society Polling Station at Odorkor, using what some have said was pepper spray on people leading to a scuffle.
At the end of counting, out of the 464 people who were expected to cast their votes, 77 voted for Akua Afriyie while Ewurabena won with 130 votes in that polling station.
There were also alleged presence of macho men even though the police were there in their numbers to maintain law and order.
A police officer who early on attacked a GHone journalist, was later in the day interdicted. The police made the announcement in a statement.
