The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Frimpong Kodua, has announced that the party will take part in the upcoming Ayawaso East by-election and is optimistic about winning the seat.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Desk programme on Wednesday, January 7, Mr Kodua said the NPP has already begun scouting for a strong and widely accepted candidate to represent the party.
He questioned suggestions that the party should stay away from the contest, stressing that the NPP is fully committed to contesting and securing victory in the by-election.
Mr Kodua began by expressing sympathy to the family of the late Member of Parliament and to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), describing the loss as unfortunate.
However, he said he was taken aback by comments attributed to the Ayawaso East Municipal Chief Executive, who reportedly appealed to the NPP not to field a candidate as a sign of respect.
According to him, by-elections are a normal part of Ghana’s democratic process, noting that similar situations in the past did not prevent parties from contesting.
He cited previous by-elections to justify the NPP’s position, arguing that political parties have consistently exercised their right to contest vacant seats regardless of circumstance.
Mr Kodua also dismissed claims that the NPP’s decision should be influenced by the perception of Ayawaso East as an NDC stronghold, insisting that the party is determined to compete and emerge victorious.
On preparations, he assured supporters that the party would be ready ahead of the Electoral Commission’s timeline, adding that a candidate would be selected before nominations officially open.
The Ayawaso East seat became vacant following the death of the sitting MP, Naser Toure Mahama, on Sunday, January 4, 2026, after a short illness. He was a four-term lawmaker who represented the constituency on the ticket of the NDC.
Under Ghana’s Constitution, a by-election must be held to fill a parliamentary vacancy caused by the death of an MP.
In the 2024 general elections, the late MP won the Ayawaso East seat with 22,139 votes, representing 70.85 per cent of valid votes cast, while the NPP candidate, Zak Rahman, secured 9,110 votes, or 29.15 per cent. The constituency has a registered voter population of 49,966.
