Former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Yaw Obimpeh, has been elected as the Council of State representative for the region.

He secured 49 votes, defeating Nana Nkansah Boadu Ayeboafo, the Chief of Agric-Nzema, who polled 35 votes.

Daniel Anarfi Yamoah placed third with one vote, while the remaining nine candidates failed to secure any votes.

Tight security measures

Following the security threats that disrupted the initial election, which led the Electoral Commission to reschedule the polls, security was significantly reinforced this time.

By 7:00 a.m. on Monday, February 17, 2025, hundreds of police officers in protective gear had been stationed at strategic points around the Prempeh Assembly Hall, the venue for the election.

Barricades were mounted at all exit points leading to the frontage of the hall, while roads connecting Asem and its surroundings to the Roman Hill section of the Central Business District were closed to vehicular traffic.

Under the security arrangements, only accredited individuals—including two supporters per candidate—were granted access to the venue.

Background

The elections, initially scheduled to take place in all 16 regions on Tuesday, February 11, were abruptly halted in the Ashanti Region due to a violent altercation between supporters of the two main contenders.

The voting process had progressed smoothly at the Regional Coordinating Council in Danyame, Kumasi, until chaos erupted just before the counting of ballots.

A group of unidentified ‘macho men’ stormed the premises, disrupting the process and destroying all ballots before Electoral Commission (EC) officials could begin counting.

All 86 delegates had cast their votes for the 12 candidates, and the winner was about to be announced when the disturbances broke out.

The EC subsequently postponed the election indefinitely before later rescheduling it for February 17, 2025. The rerun was conducted under heightened security and proceeded peacefully.

A fierce contest

The election was a keenly contested race between Nana Nkansah Boadu Ayeboafo, a staunch member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and Yaw Obimpeh of the NDC.

It remained unclear who had deployed the heavily built men and which candidate they intended to support.

The Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, Osei Nsiah, assured the public that lessons had been learned from the earlier disruption, ensuring a smooth process during the rescheduled election.