Akua Afriyie apologises to NPP leadership after defying party directive in Ablekuma North rerun

The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2024 parliamentary candidate for Ablekuma North, Nana Akua Afriyie, has rendered an unqualified apology to the party’s leadership after defying a directive not to contest in the constituency’s recent election rerun.

Speaking after the matter was addressed at the party’s emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held at the Alisa Hotel, Akua Afriyie confirmed that an apology was issued, although she declined to say whether she regrets her decision to go against the party’s orders.

Joseph Osei-Owusu, a former Member of Parliament for Bekwai and chairman of the NPP’s planning committee, confirmed the party had accepted her apology.

“The apology was taken in good faith. It was just to ensure that we respect the structures of the party in the future,” he said.

However, Mr. Osei-Owusu also acknowledged that her actions caused public confusion and did not reflect positively on the party’s image.

The rerun election ended in a historic win for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), whose candidate, Ewurabena Aubynn, narrowly defeated Akua Afriyie. Aubynn secured 34,090 votes, while Afriyie polled 33,881 — a margin of just 209 votes.

“This victory was expected because we worked so hard,” Ewurabena Aubynn told journalists after the declaration.

The NDC’s victory in Ablekuma North marks the first time the party has captured the seat in Ghana’s Fourth Republic, breaking decades of NPP dominance in the constituency.

The rerun was ordered following a prolonged dispute over the December 2024 parliamentary election results. Violence at the collation centre led to the suspension of vote counting from 19 polling stations. A High Court later directed the Electoral Commission to complete the process, but delays and security concerns ultimately resulted in a full rerun in the affected areas.