Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Haruna Mohammed, has dismissed claims that the party’s defeat in the Akwatia by-election reflects a broader decline in its popularity.

Reacting to the outcome on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News on Wednesday, September 3, Mr Mohammed admitted the result took him by surprise but insisted it was not a verdict on the NPP’s standing with the Ghanaian electorate.

“It does not mean the NPP is unpopular. It doesn’t,” he stressed. “Yes, we lost, and honestly, I am still shocked by the outcome because we were very confident going into this contest.”

He explained that the party had been convinced of a win, citing the level of preparation and the support it believed it enjoyed in the constituency. “I was very certain we were going to win the election,” he reiterated.

The Akwatia by-election followed the death of the sitting MP, Ernest Kumi, earlier this year. The contest drew national attention as one of the fiercest political battles of 2025.

In the official results announced by the Electoral Commission, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Bernard Bediako Baidoo, won with 18,199 votes. The NPP’s Kwame Asumadu polled 15,235 votes, while the Liberal Party of Ghana’s Owusu Patrick managed just 82. Out of 34,122 ballots cast, 33,819 were valid and 303 were rejected.

The victory sparked wild celebrations among NDC supporters in Akwatia, who flooded the streets to mark the win, widely seen as a morale booster for the governing party.