The governing New Patriotic Party in the Eastern Region has begun processes of acclamation of its unopposed candidates, ahead of the party’s upcoming parliamentary primaries scheduled for June 20.
The exercise, which started today, is expected to be completed by Friday, June 19.
Regional Communication Director David Prah, who confirmed this to the eveningmailgh.com, stated that this is to free the regional leadership and the National Parliamentary Vetting Committee (NPVC) in the region to be able to focus on the main primaries slated for June 19.
Unopposed
The exercise began in the Atiwa East Constituency yesterday Morning where Current MP, who doubles as Deputy Minister of Finance, Abena Osei Asare, is going unopposed.
In all, there will be acclamation in 12 constituencies where only one person is running in each of them.
The 12 unopposed candidates are are former Deputy Eastern Regional Minister and MP for Upper Manya Krobo, Joseph Tetteh; Minister of Information and MP for Ofoase-Ayerebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah; Minister for Integration and Regional Re-organisation and MP for Okere, Daniel Botwe,
Others are MP for Fanteakwa North, Kwabena Amankwa Asiamah; Minister of Roads and Highways and MP for Atiwa West, Kwasi Amoako-Attah and Deputy Minister of Finance and MP for Atiwa East, Abena Osei – Asare.
The rest are MP for Asene-Akroso-Manso, George Aboagye; Deputy Minister of Information and MP for Akuapem North, Asiamah – Adjei Nana Dokua; Deputy Minister of Agriculture and MP for Akim Swedru, Kennedy Osei Nyarko; Minister of Works and Housing and MP for Abuakwa South, Samuel Atta Akyea; MP for Abirem, Osei Frimpong John and Minister of State at the Interior Ministry and MP for Abetifi, Bryan Acheampong
Guidelines
General Secretary of the party, John Boadu, outlining guidelines and modalities for this year’s Primaries, stated that there shall not be elections in Constituencies where there are unopposed Candidates. He, however, added that delegates in these Constituencies will be required to converge at the Electoral Area or Zonal Level for Candidates to address them.
“The Venue for this meeting shall be determined by the National Parliamentary Vetting Committee for each Region in consultation with the sole Candidate to smoothen the process, based on situation-specific dynamics,” he said.
He explained further that, unlike constituencies where there will be contest, acclamation for unopposed candidates can be held in more than a day, and does not also have to start from 7am to 1pm as outlined by the party.
