Ewurabena Aubynn wins Ablekuma North rerun for NDC

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for the Ablekuma North, Ewurabena Aubynn, has emerged victorious in the closely watched parliamentary rerun held on Friday, July 11, 2025.

This marks the first time in the Fourth Republic that the governing party has claimed the traditionally New Patriotic Party (NPP)-held seat, following years of political dominance by the opposition party.

The rerun, conducted in 19 polling stations, brought finality to months of legal and electoral disputes stemming from the December 7, 2024, general election.

After Friday’s rerun, NDC’s Ewurabena Aubynn polled 34, 090 while NPP’s Akua Afriyie polled 33, 881 votes.

That initial contest ended in a stalemate after allegations of irregularities and the submission of unauthenticated pink sheets led the Electoral Commission (EC) to withhold a final declaration for the parliamentary seat.

After the December election, both the NPP and NDC claimed victory. The NPP insisted their candidate, Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, had won with a margin of 414 votes. However, challenges over unendorsed pink sheets from 19 polling stations led to confusion during collation.

A High Court ruling in January 2025 directed the EC to resume and complete the collation process, but fresh disputes and missing signatures forced the Commission to announce a rerun.

The NPP leadership initially announced a boycott of the rerun, branding the EC’s decision as a betrayal of electoral justice. However, in a dramatic twist, Nana Akua Afriyie defied the party’s directive and re-entered the race with quiet but growing support from grassroots members and a number of prominent party figures.

The days leading up to the rerun were fraught with political tension. The NDC launched a full-scale campaign led by regional and national figures. Ewurabena Aubynn, a political newcomer, presented herself as a symbol of change and accountability, especially appealing to younger voters and floating constituents.

On election day, however, voting was marred by violence and chaos. At least one polling station was disrupted by unidentified individuals, leading to the assault of Nana Akua Afriyie and former Fisheries Minister Hawa Koomson.

The Ghana Police Service later announced the interdiction of an officer caught on video assaulting a journalist. Despite these incidents, voting proceeded across all 19 stations and ended peacefully in most areas.

By the close of counting on Friday night, provisional results confirmed that Ewurabena Aubynn had won the rerun, securing enough votes to clinch the Ablekuma North seat.

In her victory speech, Aubynn dedicated her win to the people of Ablekuma North and called for unity across party lines.

“This is not just a win for the NDC; this is a win for every resident of Ablekuma North who believes in good governance, transparency, and progress. I thank you for the trust you’ve placed in me,” she said to jubilant supporters at the NDC constituency office.