The contest for the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) position in Obuasi East has taken an unexpected turn with the inclusion of Samuel Aboagye, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate from the 2024 elections, among the shortlisted candidates. This development comes despite Aboagye not participating in the initial vetting process and his ongoing legal contestation of the 2024 parliamentary election results.
Following the vetting conducted by the Ashanti Regional Secretariat, two candidates from the original list—Richard Ayele and Adzowu Kofi William—were selected as finalists.
In the 2024 parliamentary elections, Samuel Aboagye was initially declared the winner for the Obuasi East seat. However, a subsequent re-collation by the Electoral Commission (EC) on December 21, 2024, overturned this result, declaring the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) candidate, Dr. Patrick Boakye Yiadom, as the Member of Parliament-elect for Obuasi East.
In response, Aboagye filed a judicial review application, seeking to have the EC’s second collation and declaration nullified. He argued that the Public Elections Regulations, 2020 (C.I. 127), do not permit a second collation or declaration after the official announcement of results. He also contended that the initial results, as documented on Form 1D and signed by all parties, should be considered final.
However, in a surprising move, Aboagye withdrew his legal challenge in early January 2025. The reasons for this withdrawal remain unclear, leading to further speculation about his subsequent shortlisting for the MCE position.
As the selection process progresses, the people of Obuasi East are keenly observing the developments, hoping for a fair and merit-based appointment that will prioritize the district’s development and address pressing issues such as infrastructure, education, and economic growth.
The Ashanti Regional Secretariat has yet to provide an official explanation for Aboagye’s inclusion in the shortlist.