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Voting has begun in the Assin North by-election amidst tight security
Enriqueta OseibyJune 27, 2023 Leticia Osei Reading: 2 minutes read
More than 40.000 people are casting ballots in the Assin North constituency in the Central Region today, Tuesday, June 27, to choose their next representative in Parliament.
James Gyakye Quayson of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) are the three contenders for the position.
After Mr. Quayson's victory in the 2020 parliamentary election was declared invalid, the Electoral Commission (EC) set the by-election for June 27.
After determining that Mr. Quayson had dual citizenship at the time he submitted his candidacy paperwork, the Supreme Court issued an order directing Parliament to remove Mr. Quayson's name from its files.
Mr. Quayson was later re-nominated for the by-election by the NDC. Each candidate believes they will prevail in the election.
Mr. Quayson asserted that he is the greatest option for his constituents when speaking on Eyewitness News.
"I was able to build 2,000 lamps in my constituency in the first year alone. Every hamlet, village, and town had a bit of the light, and that speaks for itself. For this reason, I am claiming that I am likely to win the election.
"I am not the kind of person who will come on the radio and broadcast what I have done for the community or constituency but if you come around, the people that it directly affects will tell you what I have done and there will even be the projects for you to see," he claimed.
Opoku has a tiny advantage, according to a recent survey.
According to a recent poll by Global Info Analytics, Mr. Opoku of the NPP is slightly ahead of Mr. Quayson of the NDC.
45.6% of respondents indicated they would vote for Mr. Quayson in the survey, which was conducted between June 15 and 20, 2022, while 46.7% said they would vote for Mr. Opoku.
6.9% of respondents answered they were still unsure.
The two major political party leaders met with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), George Akuffo Dampare, on June 26 in preparation for the by-election.
The gathering, which was place at the Assin State College SHS, aimed to foster communication, comprehension, and collaboration between the police force and the political parties.