Private legal practitioner Nana Yaw Osei has expressed that the upcoming Akwatia by-election, scheduled for September 2, 2025, will be a decisive contest to address allegations by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) rigged the 2024 parliamentary election.
In an interview on Abusua965FM’s Bresosem program with Kojo Marfo, Nana Yaw Osei described the race as an open and competitive one where any candidate can emerge victoriously.
He remarked that the contest in Akwatia is a toss-up, with both the NPP and NDC standing an equal chance of winning the seat.
Nana Yaw Osei stated “Now, in Akwatia, it’s a toss-up; anyone can emerge as the winner. If you ask me, I would say both parties have a 50/50 chance of winning the seat.”
When asked about the implications for the NPP if it fails to win the Akwatia seat, Nana Yaw Osei commented that the party had already suffered a significant defeat in the 2024 general elections.
He said losing this by-election would not come as a surprise given the heavy losses already endured by the NPP.
He said “They (NPP) lost miserably in the 2024 general election. Is there anything that can cancel the 2024 defeat? They have experienced a heavy defeat, so if they lose this, it would not be surprising.”
However, a victory would serve as a morale booster, especially since Akwatia is not considered a traditional stronghold for the NPP.
Nana Yaw Osei added “if they are able to win, it will give them morale. When an opposition party goes for a by-election in a constituency that is not their stronghold, just like Akwatia is not the NPP’s stronghold, and they emerge victorious, it means they have done something extraordinary.”
Nana Yaw Osei noted that the by-election is likely to settle the ongoing dispute over the legitimacy of the 2024 election results.
“This contest will also demonstrate that if the NPP wins, it would mean that the victory they first experienced in the 2024 election was legitimate, and the NDC’s claims of rigging the election would be proven untrue.
“On the other hand, if the NDC wins, they will say, ‘Didn’t we say during the 2024 election the NPP rigged the election?’ So, the Akwatia contest comes with issues that everyone is closely watching.”
He concluded that the Akwatia by-election carries significant weight beyond just filling a vacant parliamentary seat, as it will “settle the scores” between the two parties over the contested 2024 election outcome.
“It’s like settling the scores: you claim I rigged it, I say no; these are the matters that the by-election is going to answer,” he indicated.
Source: www.Kumasimail/Kwadwo Owusu
