Lawra returns to NDC factory settings as NPP ends 28-year Hohoe hodoo

The year 2020 could not have ended without flips and unexpected results that suggests an end to the NDC hold over some constituencies in the December 7 general elections.

It was a tight contest that had people changing and switching from the ruling New Patriotic Party to the National Democratic Congress and vice versa.

But shocking is the news that the opposition National Democratic Congress lost some long held seats to the ruling New Patriotic Party.

Seven seats have been on the lips of Ghanaians for a long time now — Lawra, Mion, Adenta, Hohoe, Chereponi, Buem and Karaga are among the few.

The Mion which has always been an NDC stronghold from 2000 to 2016 elections, has lost the seat to the ruling NPP.

The NPP’s Musah Abdul Aziz with 21,552 votes defeated the NDC’s Mohammed Abdul Aziz who had 14,158 votes.

Also, in the Lawra constituency, the story was no different. The constituency which has been a swing constituency has changed its candidate again.

The NPP’s Anthony Karbo lost to his rival, Bede Anwataazumo Ziedeng.

Another blow to hit the NDC was its long held Hohoe constituency flipping votes at the just ended elections.  NPP’s John Peter Amewu defeated the NDC’s Margeret Kweku.

Prior to the elections, President Akufo-Addo had rallied residents of Hohoe to vote massively for the Energy Minister Amewu.

The president had argued that Hohoe had a past glory that needed to be restored and the NPP’s candidate was the only ticket to that glory.

Another seat that was snatched from the NDC was the Chereponi seat. The Chereponi constituency had been flipping seats between 1996 and 2016.

With the period the two leading parties have all won three seats. NDC won in 1996, 2000 and 2016, while the NPP won in 2004, 2008 and 2012.

But the closely held seats have changed hands again in favor of the NPP. The NPP’s Tahidu Abdul-Razak won against its contender Samuel Abdulai Jabanyite.

Also, located in the Ga East District, Adenta was formed prior to the 2004 December elections by the division of the old Ashiaman constituency into the new Adenta and Ashiaman constituencies.

Since its creation, the NDC has won the seat twice in 2008 and 2012. The NPP first won it in 2004 and snatched it in 2016 from the NDC.

In 2020 the NDC’s Mohammed Adamu Ramadan flipped the seat grabbing it from the NPP’s Director of Communication, Yaw Buaben Asamoah.

In Karaga, NPP’s Mohammed Amin Adam had a resounding victory when he defeated Alhassan Sualihu Dandaawa. The Karaga seat has been an NDC stronghold since 2004.

But results showed the opposition party has lost is hold over the constituency.

For the Ekumfi seat in the Central Region, the story was different. The NDC Abeiku Crentsil retained the party’s seat, beating Francis Kingsley Ato Codjoe.

The NDC Isaac Ashai Odantten retained the seat for the party, beating NPP’s Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover.

On the flip side, the NDC parliamentary candidate for Madina, Francis Xavier Sosu won against the NPP’s Abu-Bakar Saddique Boniface.

Mr Sosu polled 61, 274 while Boniface had 46, 525.

In the Buem constituency, the NDC’s Adams Iddie Kofi retained the long held seat since 1996 with 18,588 votes.

His closest contender from the NPP Aziale Lawrence Kwami polled 6,843.