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The New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Ablekuma North, Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, has finally revealed her decision on whether to contest or boycott the rerun of parliamentary elections in 19 polling stations within the constituency.
The NPP had earlier declared its intention to boycott the rerun, insisting that its candidate had won by a margin of 414 votes. The party described the Electoral Commission’s (EC) decision to hold a rerun as a breach of established electoral procedures.
Speaking at a press conference in Ablekuma North on Tuesday, 8 July, the NPP’s General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua, harshly criticised the EC’s actions, labelling them as “shameful”.
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Justin Kodua Frimpong
However, in a surprising twist, Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie has announced her intention to defy the party’s directive and contest the rerun, which is scheduled to take place on Friday, 11 July.
In a brief interview on Neat FM, she expressed confidence in retaining her seat, stating that she had received overwhelming support from her constituents:
Ablekuma North NPP’s Akua Afriyie rejects EC rerun in 19 polling stations
We are voting, and if you come to the constituency, many supporters have gathered and reaffirmed their support for me. Those NPP members pushing the narrative that I won’t contest should know my name is on the ballot paper for tomorrow, and my constituents have assured me of victory.
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Her announcement comes in the wake of a legal setback. An Accra High Court dismissed her application for an injunction to block the rerun.
During proceedings on Wednesday, 9 July, the presiding judge, Justice Ali Baba Abature, rejected the motion for an interim injunction, ruling that it lacked merit. He held that the balance of convenience favoured the Electoral Commission’s constitutional responsibility to ensure representation for the constituents of Ablekuma North.