371 Contestants chase 165 NPP seats, of which 65 are unopposed

• Posted on June 9, 2020June 9, 2020
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is set to hold its parliamentary primaries in some 165 constituencies where the party has sitting Members of Parliament (MPs).

A total of 371 contestants have been given the all clear to slug it out for the 165 seats in the parliamentary primaries, which is slated for Saturday, June, 20, 2020. This procedure, however, is suspended in three constituencies.
Regional breakdown of numbers contesting in each region
Of the 371 contestants, 101 are from Ashanti Region, 63 from Eastern, 49 from the Greater Accra, 42 from Central, 24 from Bono, 20 from Western, 18 from the Northern, 13 from North East, nine from Ahafo, eight from Bono East, five each from Western North and Upper East, and one each from Oti and Savannah.
51 Female candidates contesting     
Furthermore, 51 female candidates will contest against 320 males in the primaries.
Regional breakdown of female candidates
In the Ashanti Region, 11 women candidates are contesting in 11 different constituencies.
In the Greater Accra Region, 12 women are contesting in 10 constituencies.
In the Eastern Region, 10 women candidates are vying for seats in eight different constituencies.
Five women are contesting for seats in five constituencies in the Central Region.
 In the Western Region, four women are contesting to be MPs in four different constituencies.
Three women candidates are contesting in the North East Region.
Two women are contesting for two seats in the Bono and Northern regions.
The Ahafo Region has only the one candidate. In the Oti, Savannah, Upper West and Western North regions, no women candidates contested.
65 Go unopposed
Sixty-five candidates will contest unopposed in the upcoming parliamentary primaries.
Candidates contesting unopposed
The candidates contesting unopposed include Madam Freda Prempeh (Tano North), Madam Patricia Appiagyei (Asokwa), Mr Isaac Kwame Asiamah (Atwima Mponua), Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu (Bekwai), Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum (Bosomtwe), Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh (Manhyia South), Mr Ntim Augustine Collins (Offinso North), Mr Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu (Suame), Mr Siaka Stevens (Jaman North), and Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah (Sunyani West).
Others are Mr Ken Ohene Agyapong (Assin Central), Madam Mavis Hawa Koomson (Awutu Senya East), Mr Bryan Acheampong (Abetifi), Mr Samuel Atta Akyea (Abuakwa South), Mrs Abena Osei-Asare (Atiwa East), Mr Kwasi Amoako-Attah (Atiwa West), Mr Daniel Botwe (Okere), Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah (Ofoase-Ayerebi), Mrs Ursula Owusu Ekuful (Ablekuma West), and Mr Henry Quartey (Ayawaso Central).
Number of unopposed candidates for each region
The number the candidates running unopposed per region is West North, two; Ahafo, two; Ashanti, 16; Bono, four; Bono East, two; Central, seven; Eastern, 12; Greater Accra, seven; Northern, three; Oti, one; Savannah, one; Upper East, one; Western, six; and Western North, one.
However no candidate is contesting unopposed in the North East Region.
Rationale behind unopposed candidates
 General secretary of the party, Mr John Boadu, who made this known at a news conference in Accra yesterday, said most of their contenders voluntarily withdrew from the contest to support them after having been engaged in an extensive discussion by the leadership of the party.
The reasons for engaging them in a conversation, which led to their voluntary withdrawal, included the demanding and crucial roles they played in the House of Parliament, the intention of encouraging gender balance in the party’s political landscape, and the contribution of the unopposed candidates who are incumbent Members of Parliament to their jurisdictions, he said.
Primaries postponed in 3 constituencies
He further said that the primaries in Kwadaso Constituency have been suspended because their voter album has issues, adding that “the primaries have also been suspended in Gushegu and Dormaa Central constituencies till further notice. However, if we are able to resolve the issues before June 20, 2020, the parliamentary primaries will be held in these constituencies.”
No elections in constituencies with unopposed candidates
Speaking on Guidelines for constituencies with unopposed candidates, Mr Boadu stated that there shall not be elections in constituencies where there are unopposed candidates.
He went on to say that delegates in these constituencies would, however, be required to converge at the electoral area for candidates to address them.
The venue for the meeting, he said, 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.
With regard to the misconduct of some members claiming to be invoking curses on the party leadership, he furiously said that those misconducts won’t be countenanced.
He added that “their preferred candidates have been disqualified by the National Executive Committee (NEC) from contesting in the primaries. We are completely appalled by such gross misconduct.
“Accordingly, the party is instructing the respective constituency executives in the constituencies where this unfortunate incident happened to immediately suspend all those involved in this awkward behaviour while instituting appropriate disciplinary actions against them in line with article 3 and 4 of the party constitution.”  
On the modalities for the parliamentary primaries, he noted that voting shall be held on electoral area basis per the Electoral Commission’s designation, with not more than 100 people congregating at a voting centre.
The NPP General Secretary went on to say that voting would start at 7am and end at 1pm, stressing that, “Counting of ballots will be done immediately after the close of polls at 1pm at each electoral area’s polling centre and at the constituency secretariat polling centre. Proxy voters shall be accredited delegates in the constituency.
“The constituency album, which has been broken down into electoral area albums, shall be used to identify all delegates who are eligible to vote in their respective electoral areas.”
The party, he pointed, would strictly comply with the COVID-19 health protocols announced by the President.
“Accordingly, the party, while making sure that not more than 100 people congregate at a voting centre, will also be making available, alcohol-based hand sanitizers at each polling centre for delegates to sanitize their hands before participating in the polls. Equally, the party has procured nose masks, which shall be given to every delegate,” John Boadu indicated.
 Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo acclaimed sole presidential candidate
The general secretary, speaking about the presidential candidature of the party, said at the close of the party’s presidential nomination, only one candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, filed to contest as the 2020 presidential candidate.
The National Council had, therefore, resolved to acclaim the sole candidate, he said, and gave an assurance that the party would soon announce a date for the acclamation.

By John APPIAH, Accra