Akwatia: Bernard Baidoo Clinches NDC Candidature in Tightly Contested Primary

Legal practitioner Bernard Bediako Baidoo has emerged victorious in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primary held on Monday, August 4, in the Akwatia Constituency of the Eastern Region.

Baidoo, a member of the NDC’s legal team and a constituency executive, secured 380 votes, narrowly edging out entrepreneur Erasmus Ali Korney, who garnered 366 votes. Former Member of Parliament Henry Yiadom Boakye, whom Baidoo once represented as legal counsel, received 232 votes, placing third.

The primary, conducted under the supervision of Regional Electoral Commission Director Appiah Baffoe, followed the death of sitting MP Ernest Yaw Kumi in July 2025, which necessitated a by-election in the constituency.

Baidoo’s victory marks a significant shift for the NDC in Akwatia, as the party gears up to defend the marginal seat it captured in the 2024 general elections. The upcoming September 2025 by-election is expected to be fiercely contested between the NDC and the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Political observers say the closely fought primary highlights the strategic importance of Akwatia in the NDC’s broader parliamentary ambitions.

The newly elected candidate thanked delegates for their confidence and pledged to unite the party base ahead of the by-election.

“This victory is not mine alone; it belongs to every NDC supporter in Akwatia. Together, we will win the by-election and continue the legacy of the late Hon. Ernest Yaw Kumi,” Baidoo said.