The ruling New Patriotic Party-NPP has begun taking stock of what could have accounted for its failure to wrestle the Odododiodio constituency seat from the main opposition NDC.

The party lost the seat by 8306 votes doubling the gap from last year?s loss.

Leaders of the NDC have attributed the party?s victory to the growing unpopularity of the government.

But the information minister Dan Botwe disagrees.

Speaking on JOY FM, Mr Botwe said the margin of loss widened because of voter apathy in the ruling party?s strongholds within the constituency.

? They voted only in December. Their candidate got to Parliament in January and in six months he died. There is every reason for them to want their party to return to power because they can?t vote for someone and in six months the person dies and they turn their back on the party.

He is from Kinka area, their stronghold, so there is every attraction for them and the fact is, there wasn?t so much at stake for the supporters of the NPP to want them to come out and vote.

It is their seat, they are lucky to win, let them win. This is not the general elections, and I think that accounted for the low turn out,? he said.

For the first time since assuming office nearly five years ago president Kufuor joined the NPP campaign trail in what was widely considered a last ditch attempt to win the seat.

Although the party lost, Mr. Botwe told Joy News it does not mean the president?s popularity has waned.

Two key development projects, which started in the run up to the by-election were seen as attempts by government to influence voters.

The information minister however insists the erection of streetlights and re-tarring of some roads were continuing projects from the district assembly.