The Electoral Commission (EC) has officially declared Faustina Elikplim Akurugu of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as the Member of Parliament-elect for the Dome Kwabenya constituency in the Greater Accra Region.
The announcement comes after a two-week dispute between the NDC and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over the winner of the contest, which was held on December 7.
Initially, the EC had declared the results of the election null and void due to disputed results from one polling station.
However, after further investigation, the EC announced that Faustina Akurugu secured 50,967 votes, while the NPP’s Mike Oquaye Jr garnered 50,669 votes. This means Akurugu has won the seat and will represent the constituency in Parliament.
The Dome Kwabenya seat has traditionally been a stronghold of the NPP, making this win a significant upset for the NDC.
The EC had initially planned to conduct a rerun at the disputed polling station but made a U-turn, stating that the result was captured on a training sheet for the presidential election and tallied with what other parties recorded on election day.
Notably, the NPP was absent from the venue during the declaration, and it’s unclear what their position will be regarding the EC’s U-turn and the subsequent declaration.
The EC’s decision brings an end to the electoral process in the Dome Kwabenya Constituency, with the outcome reflecting the will of the people as expressed at the polls.