Dr. Ekua Amoako, a member of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Communications Team, has rejected claims that the party hinged its entire campaign for the Akwatia by-election on the passing of its late parliamentary candidate, Ernest Kumi.
In an interview on Morning Starr with Naa Dedei Tettey on Friday, September 5, 2025, Dr. Amoako admitted that the late candidate’s memory formed part of the campaign narrative but stressed that it was not the NPP’s sole message.
“I wouldn’t say significantly, but when you’re going into any kind of election, at every time you’ll be presented a number of cards and you have to play them the best that you can.
We’re in opposition and there was a huge perception that was driven by the NDC that if the people of Akwatia want to see development, it’s better that they side with their incumbent than to try somebody that’s in opposition. Which, you know, if you really want to dig down into that, there’s not too much truth in it. Since every MP will get their common fund anyway. But it’s a tale that is easy to sell and it’s easy to stick in the minds of people,” she explained.
Dr. Amoako added that Ernest Kumi’s popularity and the affection people had for him naturally came up during engagements with voters.
“It’s also not lost on us that we had lost a candidate, a candidate that was loved by his people. He had contested in 2020 and lost and then finally won in 2024.So, of course, the people of Akwatia themselves were constantly mentioning the late Ernest Kumi as part of it.
To me, there’s nothing new in our political discourse. There’s nothing they haven’t done before. As I said, it’s always about what you have available at that time and how best you play it. That’s what it is. I don’t think it’s completely fair to say that we relied solely on sympathy.”
Her clarification follows criticism that the NPP entered the September 2 by-election without a strong campaign message, banking only on the emotional weight of Kumi’s death.
The election was eventually won by the NDC’s Bernard Bediako Baidoo, who secured 18,199 votes out of 33,819 valid ballots.
His closest challenger, Solomon Kwame Asumadu of the NPP, polled 15,235 votes, while Owusu Patrick of the Liberal Progressive Party (LPP) obtained 82 votes.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
