Kpandai rerun: Voters want MPs from President’s party – Akwatia MP

The Member of Parliament for Akwatia, Bernard Bediako Baidoo, says voters in Kpandai are more interested in development outcomes than parliamentary numbers as the constituency prepares for a by-election.

Contributing to discussions on ABC In The Morning, Mr. Baidoo argued that although the National Democratic Congress holds a majority in Parliament, constituents across the country are primarily concerned with how effectively their MPs can address local challenges. According to him, parliamentary arithmetic does little to improve living conditions at the constituency level.

“It is not about the numbers in Parliament. We are individual constituencies, and every constituency has its peculiar problems. Constituents pray they get them solved,” he said.

Mr. Baidoo explained that voters assess parliamentary candidates based on their ability to secure development projects and advocate for local needs, rather than party dominance in the House. He noted that party strength in Parliament often matters less to ordinary voters than access to decision-makers and resources.

“Beyond the partisan numbers that NDC has this, NPP has this, the people in the constituency are looking for representation that would help them,” he stated.

He further observed that many electorates prefer MPs who belong to the same party as the President, believing such alignment increases the chances of development reaching their communities. “The reality is that electorates want MPs with presidents in government,” he added.

The Kpandai parliamentary seat was declared vacant on December 4, 2025, following a High Court ruling in Tamale. The decision has triggered a by-election, attracting national attention as political parties position themselves for the contest.

The outcome of the Kpandai rerun is expected to test whether voters prioritise party loyalty or the perceived ability of candidates to deliver tangible development through alignment with the governing party.

Mr. Baidoo is himself a product of a bye-election in Akwatia which took place few months ago following the untimely demise of the New Patriotic Party’s Ernest Yaw Kumi.

He won 54.3% of the valid vote cast by the Akwatia electorate, swinging the seat to the ruling NDC.