A former Energy Minister and aspirant for the National Patriotic Party (NPP) chairmanship, Boakye Kyeremanteng Agyarko, has attributed the low voter turnout at the Ayawaso East parliamentary by-election to entrenched patterns in Ghanaian electoral behaviour, where by-elections rarely spark the same enthusiasm as general elections.

The by-election was triggered by the death of sitting MP Naser Toure Mahama on January 4, following a brief illness.

Mahama, who had been re-elected in the 2024 general elections, was a four-term legislator. The current race features five candidates, including NPP’s Yussif Baba Ali and independent contender Alhaji Mohammed Umaru Sanda, a former NDC member.

Speaking on Tuesday at one of the 113 polling centres in the constituency, Agyarko said two main factors were suppressing participation.

First, by-elections in general attract lower voter engagement nationwide.

Second, he noted that the perceived predictability of the outcome in stronghold constituencies discourages voters from showing up.

“By and large, by-elections are not that patronised in this country,” he said.

“By-elections in strongholds are presumed as foregone conclusions. And that in itself depresses voter turnout.”

The comment comes in the context of Ayawaso East, a constituency historically leaning strongly towards the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Pre-election polling by Global InfoAnalytics projected NDC candidate Baba Jamal — a former Ghana High Commissioner to Nigeria — to secure up to 75 per cent of the vote.

Agyarko suggested such projections can dissuade even loyal voters from casting their ballots.

Polling will close at 5 p.m., with results expected later in the evening.