Private legal practitioner Justice Abdulai has defended discussions around a possible by-election in Akwatia following the sudden death of MP Ernest Kumi, arguing that such conversations are timely and essential.
Speaking on ABC Midday News on July 8, Abdulai explained that governance must consider the needs of the majority and not the sentiments of a few.
“It is a necessary subject we have to confront,” he stated, dismissing criticisms that raising the by-election matter just a day after Kumi’s passing is insensitive.
He noted that, “Give and take, the necessary processes will take about two months,” stressing that timely deliberation is part of responsible governance.
Abdulai’s comments come in response to a wave of public sentiment urging a pause out of respect for the late MP.
However, he emphasized that while the nation mourns, the business of governance cannot stand still.
In his view, addressing succession in the legislature is critical to ensuring that the people of Akwatia continue to be represented, particularly in a time of political and economic urgency.
The late Ernest Kumi, a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), won the Akwatia parliamentary seat in 2024 with 19,269 votes, defeating Henry Yiadom Boakye of the NDC.
His short time in office was clouded by legal disputes, including a contempt conviction and subsequent bench warrant, both of which were overturned by the Supreme Court in June 2025.
An accomplished academic with degrees in Defence, International Politics, and Law, Kumi served on the Lands and Natural Resources Committee and the House Committee before his untimely passing.
