The Ashanti Region, often hailed as the electoral stronghold of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), is facing renewed scrutiny following the 2024 presidential election results.
Dr Edward Omane Boamah, Director of IT Elections for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has raised significant concerns about the NPP’s alleged dominance in the region, citing a gap of 669,724 votes between President-elect John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
According to Dr Omane Boamah, this gap, combined with the discovery of 500,000 alleged fake ballot papers at Kwadaso, exposes the NPP’s reliance on controversial tactics such as ballot stuffing to maintain their perceived stronghold.
“In the Ashanti region, NPP is not as popular as they make you believe. NPP engages in ballot stuffing! Hopefully, those who’ll come after our #EAGLEEYES team shall perfect our system and turn the Ashanti region into an emerging Electoral battleground because NDC has more to show in the Ashanti region than NPP”.
Dr Edward Omane Boamah, Director of IT Elections of the NDC
NDC Gains Momentum
Echoing Dr. Omane Boamah’s sentiments, Brogya Genfi, Deputy Director of Special Duties for the NDC, reported provisional results showing the NDC garnering over 700,000 votes in the Ashanti Region.
The NPP, on the other hand, reportedly secured 1,300,000 votes. This represents a significant shift in voting patterns for a region traditionally dominated by the NPP.
Mr Genfi also highlighted the NDC’s parliamentary success in the region, with the Electoral Commission officially declaring eight seats for the party.
These constituencies include Obuasi East, Asawase, Ejura, Sekyere Afram Plains, Ahafo Ano South East, Akrofrom, Adansi Asokwa, and New Edubiase. This is a notable increase from the party’s previous performance of four parliamentary seats in the region.
Brogya Genfi further accused the ruling New Patriotic Party of employing armed military personnel to disrupt the collation process in two constituencies, Ahafo Ano South West and Ahafo Ano North.
Mr Gyenfi noted that the clashes resulted in the death of a National Democratic Congress agent, raising concerns about electoral violence and its impact on the democratic process.
Despite these challenges, Mr Genfi asserted that the NDC won both the presidential and parliamentary contests in these areas.
He pointed out that once the results from the two disputed constituencies are officially declared, the NDC is poised to achieve an unprecedented 10 parliamentary seats in the Ashanti Region.
This development signals a gradual erosion of the NPP’s electoral dominance and positions the region as a potential battleground in future elections.
The NDC’s strides in the Ashanti Region reflect a growing confidence in their ability to challenge the NPP’s hold. The party’s leadership remains optimistic about further gains, emphasizing the need for vigilance and strategic planning to capitalize on the shifting political landscape.
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