The race is on for the successor of the outgoing Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh.

The medical practitioner-turned-politician did not contest the 2024 parliamentary election following his selection as the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) Vice Presidential candidate.

Dr. Opoku Prempeh first won the Manhyia South parliamentary seat in 2008 and has served his constituents for the past 16 years.

Following his exit, the contest for who succeeds him is a two-horse race between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Rita Amonu Gyamfua Antwi, and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah.

After filing her nomination forms at the Electoral Commission office in September 2024, the NDC candidate told the media that winning the Manhyia South seat for the NDC is a done deal.

She stated that the perception of Manhyia South as a safe seat for the NPP is now a thing of the past. Rita Amonu Gyamfua Antwi emphasized that it is unfortunate that the NPP has continued to fail the people of Manhyia South despite receiving endorsements in every election.

However, the NPP candidate, an astute lawyer, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, who has been working diligently on the ground, has vowed to win the parliamentary election and retain the seat for the NPP.

He has endeared himself to the constituents by undertaking several social programmes, including the recent sponsorship of cataract surgeries for 58 constituents.

Manhyia South is a stronghold of the governing New Patriotic Party, but it remains to be seen whether the NPP can retain the seat or if the NDC will cause an upset for the first time.

Counting and results declaration are underway following the closure of polls at 5pm across most of the polling centres in the country.

The 2024 elections took place across 276 constituencies in the country, with the process being largely peaceful.

Pockets of violence have, however, been recorded, with one person confirmed dead in the Tolon Constituency in the Northern Region.

The EC has meanwhile urged Ghanaians and political parties to exercise patience as they execute their mandate of delivering a successful election.



KA