The Electoral Commission has officially declared Ernest Kumi of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as the Member of Parliament-elect for Akwatia in the Eastern Region, following a protracted and highly contentious electoral process.

The declaration was made at the National Police Training School at Tesano in Accra, after multiple failed attempts to finalize the results in the Eastern Region.

Ernest Kumi garnered 19,269 votes, while the National Democratic Congress' (NDC) Henry Yiadom Boakye had 17,206 votes.

The Akwatia constituency, traditionally a stronghold of the NPP, became a focal point of national attention in the December 7 elections.

What should have been a straightforward declaration of results turned into a prolonged process riddled with disputes, delays, and accusations from various quarters.

Ernest Kumi had previously won the NPP primary in 2023, defeating Ama Sey to secure the party’s ticket. His victory in the primary was seen as a sign of his growing influence within the party and his readiness to take on the general elections.

However, the subsequent electoral process proved to be anything but smooth, with controversies arising at nearly every stage.

The Akwatia constituency was one of four constituencies, alongside Suhum, Nsawam, and Fanteakwa North, whose results had to be relocated to the National Police Training School for final re-collation.