The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has officially settled on Solomon Kwame Asumadu, the Chief Executive Officer of Owuo Mining Company, as its parliamentar
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has officially settled on Solomon Kwame Asumadu, the Chief Executive Officer of Owuo Mining Company, as its parliamentary candidate for the upcoming Akwatia by-election in the Eastern Region.
The decision, reached through consensus rather than an internal contest, follows weeks of strategic consultations and grassroots engagements.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Eastern Regional NPP Chairman Jeff Konadu Addo announced the party’s decision to present Asumadu as the candidate, citing overwhelming support from local party stakeholders against the need for a primary.
The announcement was made in the presence of party heavyweights, including Members of Parliament and national officers such as Sammi Awuku.
According to Chairman Jeff Konadu, the party had initially set up a vetting and consultation committee to assess the best approach for choosing a candidate, including the possibility of holding a primary.
However, feedback from extensive stakeholder engagements — involving polling station executives, electoral area coordinators, traditional leaders, and community influencers — indicated a strong preference for bypassing a primary in favour of consensus building.
This strategy, the Chairman emphasized, was key to maintaining unity in the constituency and avoiding potential internal conflicts.
“In our engagements with the grassroots and key opinion leaders in Akwatia, the clear directive was that we should not organize a primary,” Konadu stated.
“The people wanted consensus, and we respected that.”
Following this direction, the Regional Executive Committee commissioned a research team to conduct independent assessments across the constituency.
Four names were initially considered: former MP Mercy Ama Sey, legal practitioner Lawyer Owiredu, Kwame Asumadu, and Daniel Nyame.
The research team was tasked to test the popularity and grassroots support for each potential candidate within the towns and villages of Akwatia.
Their findings, which were later presented to the regional leadership, revealed Solomon Kwame Asumadu as the overwhelming favorite.
Based on the outcome of the research, the party’s regional executives submitted their recommendation to the National Council, which subsequently granted approval for Mr. Asumadu’s official endorsement through popular acclamation.
“Today marks the formal unveiling of Mr. Solomon Kwame Asumadu as our candidate for the Akwatia by-election,” Konadu declared.
The by-election in Akwatia was necessitated due to the death of the sitting MP, Ernest Kumi early this month.
The constituency, which has historically swung between the NPP and NDC, is considered a critical battleground in the upcoming election.
Party insiders believe that presenting a united front behind a single candidate like Asumadu enhances their chances of retaining the seat.
Asumadu’s endorsement is expected to signal the beginning of an aggressive campaign, with the party aiming to consolidate its support base in the constituency.
Background
Akwatia has been a significant constituency in the political landscape, previously represented by both the NPP and NDC in alternating terms. Notably, the former MP, Mercy Ama Sey, won the seat for the NPP in 2016 but lost in the 2020 primaries to Ernest Kumi, who went on to lose the general election to the NDC’s Henry Boakye Yiadom.
With the upcoming by-election set to rekindle political activity in the area, the NPP is positioning itself for a comeback by rallying behind a candidate perceived to be both popular and unifying.
Solomon Kwame Asumadu, a businessman with ties to the mining sector and roots in the constituency, is seen by many within the party as the best hope to reclaim Akwatia.
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