NPP Confident of Victory in Upcoming Ayawaso East By-Election – Justin Kodua
Party begins candidate search, rejects claims of respecting NDC stronghold
- NPP confirms it will contest the Ayawaso East by-election and aims to win.
- Candidate selection underway, with assurances ahead of Electoral Commission nominations.
- Late MP Naser Toure Mahama’s death triggered the upcoming by-election.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has confirmed its intention to contest the forthcoming Ayawaso East by-election, with General Secretary Justin Frimpong Kodua expressing confidence that the party will win the seat.
Mr. Kodua revealed that the NPP has already begun the process of selecting a strong and widely accepted candidate for the constituency.
“Why shouldn’t we contest? The New Patriotic Party will contest the Ayawaso East by-election, and as I speak, we are conducting our candidate search to find the best person to represent us,” he said.
Mr. Kodua also extended condolences to the family of the late Member of Parliament, Naser Toure Mahama, and to the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He expressed surprise at recent remarks by the Ayawaso East Municipal Chief Executive, who suggested that the NPP should refrain from fielding a candidate out of respect for the late MP. “I was shocked that such a statement was made. By-elections have always been contested in this country, and this is no exception,” Mr. Kodua added.
Highlighting past precedents, he explained, “When the NPP chose not to contest Tamale Central, the NDC contested Akwatia. Whatever influenced them to contest there is the same reason we are contesting Ayawaso East.”
Rejecting claims that the NPP’s decision is affected by Ayawaso East being an NDC stronghold, Mr. Kodua said, “It is not about whether it is an NDC stronghold. We are going to contest, and we intend to win the seat.”
Regarding the timing for unveiling the party’s candidate, he assured that the NPP will have a nominee ready well before the Electoral Commission opens nominations.
The Ayawaso East parliamentary seat became vacant following the death of Naser Toure Mahama on Sunday, January 4, 2026, after a short illness. Mahama, a four-term MP, had represented the constituency on the NDC ticket.
Under Ghana’s Constitution, a by-election is required to fill parliamentary vacancies caused by death or court declaration, prompting the upcoming contest in Ayawaso East.
In the 2024 general elections, Naser Mahama Toure won the seat with 22,139 votes, representing 70.85% of the valid votes, while the NPP candidate, Zak Rahman, garnered 9,110 votes, or 29.15%. The constituency has a registered voter population of 49,966.
