An engineer and political analyst, Michael Kosi Dedey, has linked the low voter turnout in the Ayawaso East by-election to a lack of enthusiasm among candidates and the perception that the outcome was already decided.

Speaking on Breakfast Daily on Wednesday, February 4, he noted that the constituency is widely considered a stronghold of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), a factor he believes led many residents to assume the party’s candidate would win regardless of participation.

He explained that such assumptions weaken the competitive nature of by-elections and dampen public interest.

Mr Dedey further questioned the broader value of by-elections, particularly in constituencies where results appear largely predetermined. He called for a national conversation on whether the financial and logistical resources invested in such electoral exercises are justified.

He also criticised the country’s wider democratic practice, arguing that excessive focus on elective politics diverts attention from long-term development.

“So we do not spend time thinking and developing this country. That, for me, is the weakness in our practice of democracy. We shouldn’t only look at by-elections, but also at elective politics, where it is an abuse to the benefit of the public,” he stated.

The Ayawaso East by-election recorded 16,928 valid votes out of an expected 40,000 voters, underscoring the sharp decline in participation and reigniting concerns about voter engagement in the constituency.