The General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Frimpong Kodua, says the party is committed to retaining its existing parliamentary seats, and securing additional ‘
Mr Kodua said this when he announced plans by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) ahead of primaries to elect its parliamentary candidates in constituencies where the party has sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) on January 27, 2024.
According to the General Secretary, the NEC, endowed with the authority to coordinate and manage the parliamentary primaries, conducted vetting at 21 centres across 15 regions in the country.
Recommendations
After the exercise, he said, the vetting committee presented recommendations to the NEC based on its analysis. He mentioned that about 17 aspiring parliamentary candidates of the NPP have been disqualified across the country.
The Greater Accra and Eastern Regions recorded the highest number of disqualified parliamentary aspirants with four followed by the Central Region with three. The Ashanti Region recorded two disqualified aspirants with one court case in Nhyiaeso.
“The NPP has been served with a writ of summons for an application of interlocutory injunction. Consequently, elections in that constituency are on hold, pending the court’s decision,” he indicated.
Additionally, seven regions recorded disqualified aspirants; the Ahafo, Bono, Bono East, North East, Savannah, Volta, Western Regions. He also mentioned that, 33 aspirants are going unopposed.
The NPP General Secretary pointed out that in all, about 367 aspirants were vetted by the various vetting committees of the NPP.
Sunyani East case
Addressing the matter of Sunyani East, the NEC noted that a High Court had annulled the constituency album. To ensure peace and stability, Mr Kodua said, the NEC had decided to use the 2018 album, containing the polling station executives, for the upcoming elections.
In cases where individuals have died or travelled, the national party, in consultation with the regional party, will oversee elections to fill those vacant positions.
Furthermore, he said the NEC will appoint acting electoral area coordinators and acting constituency executives until further notice to maintain continuity during the electoral process.
Unopposed MPs in N/R
In the Northern Region, at least five out of the nine incumbent Members of Parliament (MPs) of the NPP who are seeking re-election have been given the green light to stand unopposed.
Out of the 14 contestants, one candidate faced disqualification, leaving 13 qualified to participate in the party’s parliamentary primaries. Notably, the Chief Executive Officer of MASLOC, Abibata Shanni Maham, stands out as the sole female candidate among the 13 qualified aspirants.
In the Bimbilla constituency, the Minister of Defence, Nitiwul Bingab Aduna Dominic, was approved to run unopposed, while his contender, Ahmed Zaruk Nuhu, faced disqualification during the vetting process. Other MPs going unopposed include Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways Mbomba Thomas in Tatale-Sanguli, Alhassan Tampuli Sulemana in Gushegu, Iddrisu Habib in Tolon, and Mohammed Amin Adam in Karaga, all within the Northern Region.
Meanwhile, Fawaz Aliu and the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) Jabaah John Bennam in the Zabzugu constituency have both been cleared to contest in the upcoming election. For Nanton, Kamal-Deen Abdulai and Mohammed Hardi Tufeiru are both qualified to contest, while Abibata Shanni Mahama and Umar Farouk Aliu Maham are competing for the Yendi constituency. In the Mion constituency, Musah Superior and incumbent MP Abdul-Aziz Ayaba are also in contention.
Damango, others
In the Damango constituency, the Minister of Land and Natural Resources and incumbent MP, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, is going unopposed. In the Daboya-Mankarigu constituency, Tika Samuel Yeyu and Mahama Asei Seini are competing. In Salaga North constituency in the Savannah Region, Alhassan Abdallah Iddi and Tahiru Fuseini have been cleared to participate in the primaries.
In the North East Region, the Minister of Youth and Sports and MP for Yagaba/Kubori, Yussif Mustapha, MP for Chereponi Tahidu Abdul-Razak, and MP for Yunyoo Liwaal Oscar have all been left unopposed in the primaries. However, in the Walewale constituency, the Minister of Gender Children and Social Protection and MP, Lariba Zuwera Abudu, faces a stiffer contest against spokesperson to the Vice-President,Mahama Tiah Abdul-Kabiru, Jangdow Mahama, and Tahiru Shan, in the parliamentary primaries.
