The upcoming by-election in Assin North, Ghana, carries significant implications for both the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), according to Dr. John Osae-Kwapong, a fellow at the Center for Democratic Development, Ghana (CDD-Ghana).

Dr. Osae-Kwapong highlights that the campaign messages that the two parties can derive from a victory or defeat will shape their future strategies. If the NPP secures a win, they are likely to use it as evidence of their popularity and strength, dispelling perceptions of vulnerability. Conversely, an NPP loss would provide an opportunity for the NDC to claim that the electorate’s verdict reflects dissatisfaction with NPP governance and signals vulnerability.

Speaking on the AM Show on the JoyNews channel, Dr. Osae-Kwapong explains that the by-election’s outcome will influence the path forward for both parties as they prepare for the 2024 elections. For the NDC, a victory would vindicate their message regarding injustice against Mr. James Quayson and emphasize the people’s rejection of unfairness. Furthermore, maintaining an equal number of seats would help the NDC maintain their parliamentary strength. On the other hand, an NDC loss may initially have a demoralizing effect, although the duration of this effect remains uncertain.

For the NPP, emerging as the winner would grant them a slim majority in terms of parliamentary strength, providing them with additional leverage. Dr. Osae-Kwapong emphasizes that observing how both parties interpret and spin the election’s outcome, whether they win or lose, will be intriguing.

The by-election in Assin North was necessitated after parliament declared the seat vacant following a Supreme Court ruling. The court found that the Electoral Commission had acted unconstitutionally by allowing Mr. Quayson to contest the 2020 parliamentary election without renouncing his Canadian citizenship. Consequently, the court ordered the expunging of Quayson’s name from parliament’s records and declared his election null and void.

The NDC has chosen to support Mr. Quayson as their candidate in the by-election, while the NPP in Assin North has selected Charles Opoku as their candidate.

The election is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, June 27, and its outcome will undoubtedly shape the political landscape as both parties seek to make the most of their perceived strengths and mitigate potential vulnerabilities in the run-up to the 2024 elections.