By Godfred A. Polkuu
Sandema (U/E), Dec. 9, GNA – The Builsa North Constituency in the Upper East Region was thrown into jubilation after the Electoral Commission (EC) in the Constituency announced results of the Presidential and Parliamentary elections for the just ended December 7 polls.
The Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr John Dramani Mahama, won in the Constituency with 17,351 votes out of 23,177 valid votes cast to beat Dr Mahamudu Bawumia of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who polled 5,359 votes.
Mr Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen, an Independent Candidate, had 48 votes and Mr Christian Kwabena Andrews of the Ghana Union Movement (GUM), 36 votes.
The rest were Mr Daniel Augustus Lartey Jnr, Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), 113, Mr George Twum-Barima-Adu, Independent Candidate, 13, Nana Kwame Bediako, Independent Candidate, 58, and Mr Hassan Abdulai Ayariga, All People’s Congress (APC), 70.
Mr Kofi Akpaloo, of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) had 35, Mr Mohammed Frimpong, of the National Democratic Party (NDP) 20, Nana Akosua Frimpomaa, Convention People’s Party (CPP), 57 and Mr Kofi Koranteng, Independent Candidate, 17.
Rejected votes were 836 out of a total of 24,013 votes.
Excited about the outcome of the elections, NDC supporters clad in party T-shirts and paraphernalia, poured out on the streets of the Sandema township on motorbikes and displayed their riding skills, while some danced to loud party songs blasting from speakers mounted on vehicles.
Mr James Agalga, the Member of Parliament–elect (MP-elect) for the Constituency, garnered 13,344 votes out of 23,647 valid votes cast to beat Mr Thomas Kofi Alonsi of the NPP who polled 10,157 votes, while Mr Joseph Ransford Asuok of the People’s National Convention (PNC), got 146 votes.
The MP-elect told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview after his supporters ushered him round the Constituency, that Constituents resisted all forms of inducements and voted according to the dictates of their conscience.
According to him, the victory was a clear indication that Constituents could not be induced financially to act against the dictates of their conscience.
He thanked the Constituency party executives, supporters and Constituents for the confidence reposed in him to represent them for the fourth time.
Mr James Achaab, the Constituency Chairman of the NDC, in an interview with the GNA, called for calm among Constituents and urged supporters to celebrate their victory in moderation devoid of any destruction to properties, and thanked them for the support.
Historically, the Builsa North Constituency had over the years voted in favour of the opposition NDC.
The NDC won the seat in 1992, 1996, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020, except for 2004 when the late Madam Agnes Asangalisa Chigabatia made political history when she won the seat for the NPP in the 2004 elections.
The NDC took back the seat in the 2008 Parliamentary elections.
Mr Agalga, the incumbent MP for the area, won the seat in the 2016 election with 13,886 votes, representing 61.21 percent while Mr Alonsi polled 8,652 votes representing 38.14 percent.
The Conversion People’s Party (CPP), at the time, polled 147 representing 0.65 percent.
In the 2020 elections, Mr Agalga retained the seat with 13,826 votes, representing 56.60 percent while Mr James Maurice Abakisi of the NPP polled 9,031 representing 36.97 percent.
Mr Simon Gibson Achavuusum, an Independent Candidate, polled 1,348, representing 5.52 percent and Mr Asuok who contested in that election, polled 221 votes, representing 0.90 percent.
GNA