The 2024 parliamentary elections have come to an end, and along with the crunch polls came many surprises.
Several new candidates shockingly defeated bigwigs that had previously won in their constituencies election after election.
Others also led their parties to win in constituencies that were considered the strongholds of another party.
Perhaps the most shocking among them were the independent candidates who won contests that were considered to be between the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Some of the bigwigs that were beaten by these newbies were the Interior Minister, Sanitation Minister, Tourism Minister, and Trade Minister.
Others were the Communication Minister, Fisheries Minister, and Employment Minister.
As Ghana awaits the ninth parliament, The Ghana Report looks at some first-time MPs who dethroned some long-serving ones.
- Ohene Kwame Frimpong
Ohene Kwame Frimpong, a first-time independent candidate, floored the incumbent MP for Asante Akyem North, Andy Appiah Kubi, in the December 7 election.
Mr. Frimpong won the elections decisively with 26,926 votes, while Mr. Appiah Kubi got 8,933.
The incumbent MP was attempting to occupy the seat for the third time in the constituency, which was considered a stronghold of his party, the NPP.
- Kwame Asare Obeng (Kwame A-Plus)
Entertainer and politician, popularly known as A-Plus, pulled a major surprise in the parliamentary election by beating the NPP’s Naana Eyiah to the Gomoa Central seat.
Contesting for the first time, the independent candidate polled 13,532 votes, while the incumbent Naana Eyiah earned 10,653.
- Rev. Kwaku Addo
Seen as an underdog before December 7, Rev. Kwaku Addo pulled one of the biggest shockers of the 2024 election by defeating the Minister of Communication and incumbent MP for Ablekuma West, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful.
The incumbent MP was attempting a fourth term in Ghana’s parliament.
The NDC candidate won the seat with 31,866 against Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful’s 26,575 votes.
Before causing this major upset, Rev. Addo had contested for the seat in the 2020 elections but lost to Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful.
- Abdul Rauf-Tubazu
The MP-elect of the Ayawaso Central constituency, Abdul Rauf-Tubazu, unseated the Interior Minister, Henry Quartey, as the MP for Ayawaso Central in the Greater Region.
In the 2020 general election, he lost to Henry Quartey after securing 28,363 votes, while Quartey had 33,003 votes.
In 2024, however, Mr. Rauf-Tubazu triumphed over the three-term Member of Parliament with 29, 965 votes against 23, 339.
- Blay Nyameke Armah
Andrew Kofi Egyapa Mercer, the incumbent MP for Sekondi, was slayed at the polls on December 7 by the NDC’s Blay Nyameke Armah.
Mr. Armah, a first-timer, secured 14,558 votes, while the Tourism Minister garnered 11,084 votes.
Leading up to the elections, Mr. Mercer, who contested on the ticket of the NPP, was considered a favourite following his decisive win in the previous election and his ministerial position.
- Godwin Animli Dorgbadzi Dorani
Godwin Animli Dorgbadzi Dorani slayed one of the biggest giants in this lineup with a 954-vote difference.
The NDC candidate beat the incumbent MP for Adansi Asokwa and Trade Minister, Kwabena Tahir Hammond, breaking a 24-year parliamentary run.
Mr. Hammond has represented the Adansi Asokwa constituency on the ticket of the NPP in the House since 2001, becoming one of the few longest-serving members in the current parliament.
- Abdulai Abu Baba Abubakar Sadiq
Music executive Baba Sadiq has been declared the MP-elect of Okaikwei Central after beating incumbent Patrick Yaw Boamah of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Transitioning from the entertainment scene to politics, Baba Sadiq went into the December election on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as an underdog.
The closely contested race saw initial results suggesting a win for Patrick Boamah.
He, however, won the seat with 15,383 votes, against Mr. Boamah’s 14,949 votes.
- Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor
Naa Koryoo, the NDC parliamentary candidate for Awutu Senya East, yanked the seat from the incumbent NPP MP, Mavis Hawa Koomson.
This brings Madam Koomson’s 12-year reign in the 12-year-old Awutu Senya East constituency to an end.
- John Setor Dumelo
The actor and NDC candidate for the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency after his second attempt at the parliamentary seat defeated the NPP’s Lydia Seyram Alhasan.
The two went head to head in 2020, and Madam Alhasan beat Mr. Dumelo by a 2000-vote margin.
However, Mr. Dumelo polled 40,561 votes while the incumbent MP polled 27,377, to the surprise of many, as the NPP has won all parliamentary elections in the constituency since 2000.
- Millicent Yeboah Amankwaa
The NPP has won all parliamentary elections in the Sunyani West constituency since 1996. However, the tables turned on December 7, 2024, when the NDC candidate unseated the incumbent MP.
Ignatius Baffour Awuah who is also the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations was beaten by a 30-year-old University of Ghana graduate, Millicent Yeboah Amankwaa.
She polled 26,615 votes, and Mr. Baffour Awuah gained 19,750.