Voters in Accra’s Ayawaso East Constituency headed to the polls yesterday, March 3, for a parliamentary by-election to elect a new member.

The National Democratic Congress parliamentary candidate and the former Ghana Ambassador to Nigeria, Alhaji Baba Jamal, won it.

He polled 10,884 votes while his closest challenger, Baba Ali Yussif of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), secured  4,009 votes. Independent candidate Mohammed Umar Sanda had 1,885 votes, David Kanor had 104 votes, and Ibrahim Iddrisu of the Liberal Party of Ghana recorded 43 votes.

A total of 16,928 valid votes were cast out of 17,048 ballots, with 120 rejected.

Supporters of Baba Jamal erupted in jubilant celebrations across the constituency following the official declaration

The by-election was triggered by the death of long-serving MP Mahama Naser Toure in January this year.

Across 113 polling stations and 49,966 registered voters, the day unfolded with very low turnout but remarkable calm.

Sparse queues defined the scene from morning through afternoon. Many stations in Nima and the surrounding areas saw only a trickle of voters.

The Greater Accra Regional Minister - Hon. Linda Ocloo pointed to the weekday timing and Ramadan fasting as key factors, voters rested in the morning and arrived later, urging coordinators to provide transportation for electorates who are unable to walk and who live miles away from their designated polling centres.

Security was tight, with police deployed at every centre.

The Mayor of Nima- Abdul Fatawu Alhassan also urged the public to celebrate with caution.

Polls opened at 7 a.m. and closed at 5 p.m. without a single reported incident.

Officials and party agents worked methodically as results trickled in.

By late evening, the Electoral Commission declared NDC’s Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed the clear winner.