Thirty-six members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) have successfully filed their nomination forms to contest the upcoming parliamentary primaries in 14 constituencies in the Upper East Region.
A total of 38 aspirants picked forms but at the close of nominations last Thursday, August 10, 2023, Alibono Ephraim and Ayuba Seidu of the Chiana-Paga and Bawku Central constituencies, respectively, withdrew from the contest.
Out of the number, three candidates will go unopposed. Three of the parliamentary aspirants are women.
If all the candidates go through the vetting process, they will battle it out in the primaries, which is expected to be conducted in constituencies the party has no MPs, often referred to as orphan constituencies, between September and December 2023.
Currently, the NPP occupies only the Binduri seat whose Member of Parliament (MP) is Abdulai Abanga, who doubles as the Deputy Minister of Works and Housing.
Unopposed
Those to go unopposed are the Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority, Thomas Kofi Alonsi, who is contesting in the Builsa North constituency and the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Food Buffer Stock Company, Alhaji Hanan Abdul-Wahab, who would contest in the Pusiga constituency.
The third aspirant to go unopposed is a businessman, Mathew Silas Amoah, the only one who picked forms to contest in the Bolgatanga East constituency.
Contests
In the Zebilla constituency, the National Coordinator of the Landscape Restoration and Small Scale Mining Project, Dr John Kingsley Krugu, will slug it out with Frank Fuseini Adongo, while in the Talensi constituency, the District Chief Executive, Thomas Duanab Wuni, will face off with Robert Ayinenaba Alibo and Willams Zoogah.
In the Tempane constituency, former Deputy Attorney-General, Joseph Dendiok Kpemka, will be contested by Alhaji Bashiru Ibrahim, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of operations of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA).
The contest in the Chiana-Paga constituency will be a two-horse race between Robert Alou and Mark Ayamga while District Chief Executive, Musah Osman, Georgina Laadi Azumah and Emmanuel Asore Avoka will contest in the Garu constituency.
Others
The District Chief Executive, Daniel Kwame Gariba, will be contested by Thomas Kwesi Adama in the Builsa South constituency. In Bolgatanga Central constituency, Regional Secretary of the NPP, Elvis Atia Awonekai, will face-off with Agana Rashid Bawa and Abilio Rawfield.
Three persons, who filed to contest in the Bongo constituency are Madam Diana Aburiya Asuure, A-Ugidima Frank Ananvura Aborigo and Asalma Richard while the NPP Regional Organiser, Charles T. Ndanbon, and Paul Wooma will contest in the Nabdam constituency.
Across the entire region, the Navrongo Central and Bawku Central constituencies came up with the highest number of aspirants in the primaries. Whereas five persons would contest in the Navrongo Central constituency, six persons filed to contest in the Bawku Central constituency.
In Navrongo Central, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Kassena Nankana Municipality, Joseph Adongo, will be contested by Alhaji Abdullah Achuliwor, Dr Raymond Ayilu, Perry Adamba and Gregory Abasang.
The contest in Bawku Central constituency will be between a private legal practitioner, Mohammed Tahiru Nambe, Amadu Mogtar Bagaya, Agwanwa Gabiana Bugri, Paul Agobre and Salifu Bashiru.
SOURCE: GraphicOnline
