Bernard Bediako Baidoo Wins NDC Ticket for Akwatia By-Election
Legal practitioner and constituency executive, Bernard Bediako Baidoo, has emerged victorious in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primary held on Monday, August 4, 2025.
Mr. Baidoo, a member of the party’s legal team, polled 380 votes to defeat his closest contender, Erasmus Koney Ali, who garnered 366 votes. Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Akwatia, Henry Yiadom Boakye, secured 232 votes, placing third in the tightly contested race.
Interestingly, Mr. Baidoo had previously served as legal counsel for Mr. Yiadom Boakye in a court case, adding a personal dimension to the electoral contest.
The primary was a three-horse race involving Mr. Baidoo, a known figure in the constituency’s political structure; Mr. Yiadom Boakye, the incumbent MP until his defeat in the December 2024 general election; and Mr. Ali, an entrepreneur and newcomer to the political scene.
The results were declared by the Eastern Regional Electoral Commission boss, Appiah Baffoe, who certified the process as transparent and credible.
The Akwatia by-election became necessary following the sudden passing of sitting MP Ernest Yaw Kumi in July 2025. Given the constituency’s history as a swing seat, the upcoming September by-election is seen as a crucial battleground for both the NDC and the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The NDC’s narrow loss in Akwatia during the 2024 elections heightened the stakes in this primary, as party members view the by-election as an opportunity to reclaim the seat. Mr. Baidoo’s victory is being interpreted within party circles as a move to inject new energy and legal expertise into the campaign to flip the seat in the NDC’s favour.
