Polls have opened in the Ayawaso East Constituency for a parliamentary by-election, with voting commencing at 0700 hours under heavy police presence.
Voting is expected to close at 1700 hours, after which ballots will be counted at the various polling stations before final collation at a designated centre within the constituency, where the Electoral Commission (EC) will declare the winner.
The by-election follows the death of the sitting Member of Parliament, Mr Naser Toure Mahama, in January 2026, with 49,966 registered voters expected to cast their ballots.
Five candidates are contesting the seat: Mr Baba Jamal Mohammed Ahmed of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Baba Ali Yussif of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Ibrahim Iddrisu of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Mr Umar Sanda Mohammed, an Independent candidate, and Mr David Akonor, also an Independent candidate.
Security personnel were deployed early to polling stations across Nima, Maamobi, Accra New Town and adjoining communities to maintain law and order, with police officers stationed at strategic points and patrol teams moving within the electoral areas.
The Ghana Police Service earlier indicated that 80 officers would be deployed to each electoral area to provide security throughout the voting process.
The NDC is seeking to retain the seat it has held since the inception of the Fourth Republic in 1992.
In the 2024 general election, the late Mr Mahama secured more than 70 per cent of the valid votes cast, defeating his closest contender by a wide margin.
An opinion poll conducted by Global InfoAnalytics projected a lead for the NDC candidate, Mr Baba Jamal, estimating that he could secure about 75 per cent of the vote.
The poll placed the NPP candidate in second position, with the remaining candidates projected to attract marginal support.
Political analysts say the projection aligns with the constituency’s historical voting pattern, noting, however, that voter turnout could influence the final outcome.
Ayawaso East, within the Accra Metropolitan Area of the Greater Accra Region, is a densely populated urban constituency with a predominantly youthful electorate that has shaped its electoral trends over the years.
