Live Coverage: Ablekuma North Parliamentary Rerun || 11-07-2025

TV3 Ghana

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The live-stream opens with correspondents from the multimedia desk setting the scene in Ablekuma North, a suburban constituency of Accra, where the Electoral Commission is holding a parliamentary rerun on 11 July 2025. Viewers are reminded that the original December 2024 poll was annulled after logistical lapses and a disputed tally; today’s exercise is therefore framed as a critical test of Ghana’s electoral integrity. Cameras pan across polling stations at Ofankor and Asofan as voters file in at dawn, security personnel stand guard, and polling officials display empty ballot boxes before sealing them. On-air hosts note that turnout appears brisk compared with the December poll, attributing the early rush to an aggressive voter-education campaign and heightened public interest in restoring representation for the constituency.

Throughout the morning, roving reporters interview first-time voters and elderly residents who missed out in December because materials arrived late. Most respondents praise the improved organization but raise concerns about late start times at a handful of centres. The programme cuts to the head of the local Electoral Commission office, who confirms that 98 percent of polling stations opened by 7:30 a.m. and that contingency ballots are on standby to avoid shortages. Political party agents from the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress give briefings, each expressing confidence while pledging to accept the certified outcome. Analysts in the studio highlight that Ablekuma North, historically an NPP stronghold, saw its margin slashed to under 2,000 votes in 2020, making today’s rerun potentially pivotal for parliamentary arithmetic.

By midday the broadcast focuses on voter-turnout data, with provisional figures suggesting participation could reach 70 percent if afternoon momentum holds. The hosts discuss reports of malfunctioning biometric verification devices at two stations; replacement kits are dispatched within thirty minutes, and voting resumes. Civil-society observers from CODEO and EU-Ghana Mission give live updates, describing the process as largely peaceful with isolated queue disputes resolved by security. Footage shows candidates Charlotte Mensah (NPP) and Kobby Owusu-Bio (NDC) casting their ballots and urging supporters to remain calm. A third candidate from the CPP uses the platform to campaign for improved sanitation and job creation, issues that have dominated local debates.

As polls close at 5:00 p.m., the feed shifts to collation centres where pink-sheet results are projected on split screens. Commentators explain each step—counting, party cross-checks, declaration forms—and remind audiences that only the Returning Officer’s announcement is official. Early tallies from strong NPP precincts give Mensah an initial lead, but urban polling stations with higher youth turnout narrow the gap. The suspense drives online engagement, with hashtags #AblekumaRerun and #GhanaVotes25 trending on X (Twitter). Studio pundits caution against premature celebrations, recalling how razor-thin margins in 2020 triggered court petitions nationwide.

Near midnight the Returning Officer declares Charlotte Mensah the winner with 28,764 votes (52.3 percent) against Kobby Owusu-Bio’s 24,915 (45.3 percent), while the CPP garners 1,328 votes. The NDC requests sight of full constituency-level breakdowns but concedes moments later, citing credible observers who corroborate the count. Mensah delivers a victory speech promising to prioritise drainage projects, entrepreneurial training for youth, and transparent town-hall engagements. Owusu-Bio congratulates her and signals readiness to collaborate on constituency development. Election-watchers hail the rerun as a success story for Ghana’s democracy, stressing the importance of robust institutions and citizens’ vigilance.

In post-election analysis, academics from the University of Ghana argue that the rerun underscores a gradual shift toward issue-based campaigning rather than ethnic or party-line voting. They see the 4-point swing toward the NDC compared with 2020 as evidence of growing urban dissatisfaction with economic conditions, yet acknowledge the NPP’s superior ground game. The programme wraps up with a reminder that the Electoral Commission will publish certified results within 72 hours and that any legal challenges must be filed at the High Court within 21 days. Viewers are thanked for following the live coverage, and the anchors sign off by emphasizing that Ablekuma North now has a duly elected Member of Parliament, restoring full representation to the 277-seat legislature.

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