In a dramatic twist ahead of the July 11 parliamentary rerun in the Ablekuma North Constituency, New Patriotic Party (NPP) member Akua Afriyie has declared her intention to contest the election despite an official announcement by the party that it has pulled out of the race.
Speaking briefly on Neat FM on Thursday July 10, Akua Afriyie firmly stated, “I am contesting today,” before ending the call, sparking widespread conversation about internal party tensions and legal wranglings that have rocked the constituency in recent weeks.
Her declaration comes on the back of a press conference held by the NPP’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong.
In the address, Mr. Kodua announced that the party would not participate in the rerun elections, describing the circumstances surrounding the Electoral Commission’s decision to rerun the poll in 19 polling stations as legally questionable and procedurally flawed.
However, Akua Afriyia, who believes she is the legitimate candidate, took legal steps to counter the party’s position. She filed an application at the High Court to injunct the process, arguing that the decision by the party’s leadership to withdraw was illegal and undermined her rights as a duly elected parliamentary candidate.
In a significant legal development, the High Court dismissed the application and quashed the injunction, effectively clearing the way for the Electoral Commission to proceed with today’s rerun as scheduled.
This sets up a potentially tense situation at the polls, as Akua Afriyia presses on with her candidacy despite the absence of formal backing from the party’s national leadership. Her actions raise questions about internal cohesion within the NPP and the extent of grassroots support for her bid in the absence of official endorsement.
The Ablekuma North seat has been a hotbed of controversy since the December 2024 general elections, when disputes over the collation of results led to a legal stalemate and the seat being left vacant in Parliament.
The July 11 rerun, involving 19 polling stations, was scheduled by the Electoral Commission in a bid to resolve the impasse and restore representation to the area.
