General Secretary of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, says the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) may be seen as favourites in the Akwatia by-election, but his party is confident of securing victory.

Speaking to the media during the polls on Tuesday, September 2, Mr. Kwetey admitted the NPP’s incumbency in the constituency makes them the natural frontrunners.

“I would say NPP were clearly holding the seat so naturally, right from the beginning they will be considered the favourite.

"But we believe that just as we did going into the December 7 elections, where the NPP were favourite but we managed, as it were, to beat them and beat them well, I think the same thing will happen here,” he said.

The NDC General Secretary expressed optimism that the party will reclaim the Akwatia seat by the end of the day.

“Akwatia will be green before we leave here today,” he declared.

Mr Kwetey also dismissed suggestions that the NPP has pulled out of the Tamale Central by-election in good faith, insisting the party withdrew because it has no chance of winning the seat.

He said the NPP’s explanation was only a cover for its weak standing in the constituency.

“The truth is that NPP knows they have no chance in Tamale Central. They can bring Bawumia; he will lose miserably in Tamale Central. So that was just a pretense, taking advantage of the sympathy … it was a game they were playing,” he said.

Mr Kwetey added that while the NPP’s decision in Tamale Central was only strategic, the situation in Akwatia is different, as the NDC believed the 2024 general election result was unfairly declared in favour of the NPP.

“Akwatia is a place we believed we won on December 7, but it was declared for them, so we believe the people of Akwatia needed an opportunity to make a final choice between the NDC and the NPP, who won the seat in December,” he added.