On Saturday June 13, 2015, delegates of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) will head to the polls to elect Parliamentary candidates who will represent the party in the 2016 election.
Some Members of Parliament (MPs) who are seeking re-election may have the chance to go back to the House while others may not.
Over 350 Parliamentary aspirants have been cleared by the party’s leadership to contest the primaries on Saturday with the exception of a few pending at the party’s Appeals Committee.
30 out of the 275 constituencies will not be voting. These include Bia East, Bia West, Juaboso and Akontombra in the Western Region, Nadoli Kaloe in the Upper West Region and Nkwanta South in the Volta Region.
Also, delegates of the party in the Kumawu, Juaben and Manhyia North constituencies in the Ashanti Region will not vote on Saturday following a Supreme Court ruling in those constituencies.
As much as every constituency is key for the party because in the end, elected candidates will have to face opposition from the governing party’s candidates, some constituencies present some interesting scenarios and candidates.
Hot spots in the Ashanti Region
Let’s start in the Ashanti Region because the party’s Minority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu is facing stiff opposition from three other candidates who are planning to end his 19-year reign as MP for Suame. The Minority Leader is seen to be a force to reckon with following the enormous support he enjoys from both sides of Parliament.
In the 2011 primaries, he went unopposed but this time around, it certainly will not be an easy ride. Perhaps, out of panic, he even courted support for him to run unopposed. Nhyiaeso is one of the seats to watch in the June 13 primaries.
Incumbent MP Dr. Richard Anane is also facing competition of his life from Stephen Amoah, a youth activist of the party and Kennedy Kankam who until recently was the party’s Regional Organizer.
Still staying in the Ashanti Region, another constituency to watch out for is the Asokwa constituency where it will be the battle between former KMA Chief Executives-Maxwell Kofi Jumah who is launching a comeback for the seat he lost to Patricia Appiah Adjei in the 2011 primaries.
Already, the accusation and counter accusations that greeted the 2011 primaries had resurrected with Madam Appiah Adjei accusing Maxwell Kofi Jumah of employing “unholy” methods to unseat her. First timer MP, Dr. Akoto Afriyie of Kwadaso has three doctors contesting him. Dr. Nuamah, Dr. Dwamena and Dr. Nyarko.
The Subin constituency is also a place to keep an eye on. Incumbent MP, Isaac Osei who is former CEO of COCOBOD and former Ghana High Commissioner to the UK has to deal with threats from Eugene Boakye Antwi whose leaked tape made these headlines months ago.
In Effiduase-Asokore, the Chairman of pressure group, Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), Dr. Ayew Afriyie is planning to unseat the incumbent MP, Frank Boakye Agyeman and kill threats from three others. Dr. Afriyie is hoping to use his popularity in civil society mobilization to win the ticket. Though a native of the constituency, Dr. Afriyie will not have it easy on Saturday.
Greater Accra Region
The Greater Accra Region currently has 34 seats. 20 for the governing NDC and 14 for the NPP. The NPP is expected to field Candidates in all the 34 constituencies in the 2016 election.
Tema West constituency will be a place to watch closely. Even before the party opened nomination, the “turf war” between incumbent MP, Irene Naa Toshie Addo and Carlos Ahenkorah had started. Whiles Naa Toshie is doing all she can to save her seat, her closest challenger Carlos Ahenkorah is working hard to unseat her. Reports of Carlos Ahenkorah’s disqualification from the race sparked agitation when many party members threatening to vote against the NPP in 2016.
Another area expected to give an interesting outcome is the Okaikwei North constituency. Incumbent MP, Elizabeth Sackey is not seeking re-election. In her place, three party members are “fighting” to replace her.
Former MP for Nkwakwa and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, Seth Adjei Baah also known as Shaaba, Journalist Ken Kuranchi and Banker Alhassan Fusani will be facing it off on Saturday. If “Shaaba” wins the primaries, he will be the first Parliamentary candidate to have contested in two different constituencies.
Ablekuma West is another area to consider as a hot spot. Incumbent Ursula Akufo is facing competition from the Constituency Chairman, Theopholus Tetteh and party activist Ronny Nicole.
Ursula Akufo according to reports is gradually losing her popularity following bad blood between herself and the constituency executives.
In the Klottey Korle constituency, three men are facing it off. Lawyer for the petitioners in the 2012 election petition Philip Addison is up against the Constituency Chairman Nii Noi Nortey whose academic credentials has come under scrutiny as well as former Parliamentary Candidate Nii Adjei Tawiah.
It expected to be a straight “fight” between Philip Addison who will ride on his popularity during the election petition to convince delegates to vote him as the Parliamentary Candidate and Nii Noi Nortey who will use his influence as Constituency Chairman to win the slot.
Okaikwei South is another place to watch. The 2011 rivalry between incumbent MP, Ahmed Arthur and Vicky Bright is expected to be rekindled. The two engaged in serious competition in 2011 when the then MP now Communications Director of the NPP Nana Akomea was stepping down. Will Ahmed Arthur retain his seat or be booted out by Vicky Bright?
Eastern Region
Considered as one of the ‘world bank” for the NPP, the Eastern Region has never rejected the NPP in any election. One constituency which has attracted the attention of many is the Ofoase-Ayirebi constituency. A two horse race between former Joy FM Presenter, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and Freight Forwarder John Obiri Yeboah considered a “local boy” in the area.
Reports say Kojo Oppong Nkrumah is making serious in roads in the constituency but Obiri Yeboah will not be a push over. It will be interesting to see who wins the slot and represent the people of the Ofoase-Ayirebi constituency. Even though many are encouraged by Oppong Nkrumah’s move into politics, Obiri Yeboah seems to be well grounded and may have the urge of the former presenter.
Central Region
One constituency that has attracted media attention is the Awutu Senya West. The seat is currently been held by Foreign Affairs Minister Hanna Serwaa Tetteh. Six aspirants are chasing the seat including former Chief Marketing Officer for MTN, George Andah.
He surprised many when news broke that he was in the race to unseat Hanna Tetteh, but George has been nurturing this dream for years even during his time at MTN.
George Andah is seen as the clear favorite among the six contesting the slot. Whether or not the people in the area will be wooed by his successes in the corporate world is another matter all together.
Brong Ahafo Region
This Region will be key to NPP’s victory in the 2016 election, a Region political watchers have described as a “swing region” will be vital to NPP’s quest to return to power. However one constituency to watch out for is the Wenchi constituency where former National Organizer of the NPP, Alhaji Muctar Bamba is hatching a plan to unseat incumbent Professor George Gyan Baffour, a former Deputy Finance Minister under the Kufuor administration. It will be interesting to watch who wins the slot.
In the Techiman North constituency, former MP and Minister of Ports, Habours and Railway Professor Christopher Ameyaw Akumfi is launching a comeback to Parliament. He lost the 2012 election to the current Deputy Education Minister Alex Kyeremeh. But he must beat off competition from six others to win the slot. He has done it before, so it will be easy to get the job done.
Another constituency to pay attention to, is Brekum West.
Former MP Captain (rtd) Nkrebeah Effah Dartey is launching a come back but must first beat one Asante Yeboah Richard.
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By: Sammy Wiafe/citifmonline.com/Ghana