EIGHTY – Four out of the 89 aspirants, including incumbent Members of Parliament (MPs), of the NPP in the Eastern Region, who filed their nominations and went through the vetting process successfully, have balloted for their positions and have been given the go-ahead by the regional executives to campaign and contest in the upcoming parliamentary primaries.
Confirming this to DAILY GUIDE, Alhaji Omar Bondinga, Eastern Regional First Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, said aspirants form 31 constituencies out of the 33, after the vetting, had been cleared to proceed with their campaigns while vetting for aspirants of the other two constituencies, namely Ayensuano and Akropong, had been put on hold pending further investigations.
According to Alhaji Omar, vetting of aspirants from the two constituencies was put on hold due to some challenges during the vetting process. He said only the incumbents in those constituencies have been allowed to contest while the others’ fate shall be determined by the National Executive Committee of the party.
On Sunday the 84 aspirants visited the regional campaign office in Koforidua, where they undertook secret balloting to determine their positions on the ballot paper.
Some of the aspirants who spoke to the paper after the exercise were happy about their positions. DAILY GUIDE gathered that Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who is vying for the Ofoase-Ayirebi seat, picked the third position, while the other two contenders picked first and second positions respectively.
Aspirants’ Breakdown
76 aspirants are batting 15 sitting MPs in the region.
Eight sitting MPs—Frederick Opare Ansah, Suhum; Dan Kwaku Botwe, Akuapem South; Kwasi Amoako Atta, Atiwa West; Kennedy Osei Nyarko, Akim- Swedru; OB Amoah, Aburi; and Robert Amoah of Akoroso Maaso—are going unopposed.
Also, two other aspirants from Afram Plains North and Upper Manya Krobo are going unopposed.
In all, Abirim Constituency has the highest number of aspirants—five, including the incumbent, Esther Obeng Dapaah, who picked the first slot on the ballot paper. Abetifi has four aspirants; Akropong has four; Asuogyaman, four; Lower West Akim, four and New Juaben South, four.
The others are Yilo Krobo, three; Abuakwa South, three; New Juaben North, three; Lower Manya, three; Kade, three; Upper West Akim, three; Nkawkaw, two; Afram Plains South, two; Ayensuano, four; Mpreaso, two; Nsawam/Adoagyiri, two; Abuakwa North, three and Atiwa East, three.
