40,000 head to the polls as Ramadan fasting slows voting in Ayawaso East by-election

Voting in the Ayawaso East Constituency in the Greater Accra Region began slowly on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, as more than 40,000 registered voters headed to the polls to elect a new Member of Parliament.

The by-election has attracted significant political interest, with five candidates contesting the vacant seat.

Speaking on the Ghana Yensom Morning Show on Accra 100.5 FM, a Branch Youth Organiser of the National Democratic Congress attributed the low early turnout to the ongoing Ramadan fast. He explained that many Muslim voters who wake up at dawn to observe the fast often return to sleep before later stepping out to vote. He added that the party was mobilising its supporters to boost turnout as the day progressed.

Reports from several polling stations confirmed the slow start. Correspondent Jacob Narbi indicated that at the Nima Cluster of Schools, only 162 voters had cast their ballots as of 8:00 a.m. At Nima JHS 1, just 15 voters had turned up by the time of his visit, with a similar situation recorded at the Presby School polling station.

Hannah Myers, reporting from Alhaji Iddrisu House Number 2, also described early turnout as low. In one instance, a polling officer remarked that there were more reporters at the station than voters shortly after polls opened.

Despite the sluggish beginning, electoral officials assured the public that adequate preparations had been made to ensure a smooth and peaceful process. Security personnel were deployed to polling centres to maintain order, while the Electoral Commission of Ghana pledged transparency and fairness throughout the exercise.

The candidates contesting the seat are Baba Jamal of the National Democratic Congress, Baba Ali of the New Patriotic Party, Umar Sander Mohammed as an independent candidate, David Kanor as an independent candidate, and Ibrahim Iddrisu of the Liberal Party of Ghana.

Observers are closely monitoring voter turnout and the conduct of the election, as the outcome is expected to shape political dynamics within the constituency.