LIVE UPDATES: NPP Parliamentary Primaries begin (Text, Photos, Videos)

graphic.com.gh Politics Jun - 13 - 2015 , 09:52 5 minutes read

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) primaries to elect 247 parliamentary candidates, who will represent the party in the various constituencies ahead of the 2016 general election, have begun across the country.

The elections are being held under the general supervision of the Electoral Commission.

Monitored reports suggest the process took off smoothly in various constituencies but has been generally slow.

At the La Dadekotopon and Dome Kwabenya constituencies for instance, electoral officers told Graphic Online that the slow process had been engendered by the failure of delegates to present themselves in groups from the various polling stations in accordance with the voting register.

At La, voting started just after 8am and as at 9:18am, 97 delegates had voted out of 903 delegates expected to vote.

“We spend a lot of time scanning through the register to identify delegates because they are coming as individuals, not as groups,” the La Dadekotopon District Electoral Officer, Mr. Kofi Frimpong intimated. He was however optimistic there would be time enough for all to vote by 3pm when voting ends.

At Dome Kwabenya, voting started at 8am, according to Mr. Seth Agbedu, the Electoral Officer.

Of the 897 delegates expected to vote, 145 had been able to vote as at 10am.

Police personnel are have been posted to the centres to maintain law and order.

Currently, the NPP has 122 MPs in the House and out of this, 22 are going unopposed in three regions of Greater Accra, Ashanti and Western, while five, including Papa Owusu Ankomah, will retire after 2016.

In the Greater Accra Region, out of the 34 constituencies, four, namely Sege, Ada, Amasaman and Ningo Prampram, are going unopposed.

In the Ashanti Region, out of the 47 constituencies seven are unopposed and they are Manhyia South, Afigya Kwabre North, Ahafo Ano South East, Ejura Sekyere Odumasi, Offinso North, Ahafo Ano South West and Old Tafo

Western Region has 26 constituencies and out of that the 11 which are going unopposed are Wassa East, Takoradi, Sekondi, Mpohor, Essikado Ketan, Ellembele, Effia, Bodi, Bibiani, Anhyieso Bekwai, Aowin and Amenfi West.

Follow our live coverage below:

9:05am: Graphic Online correspondent, Kwadwo B. Donkor reports that delegates at the Asokwa constituency going through accreditation before entering the voting centre.

According to him, people without accreditation are not allowed entry into the premises of Ahinsan Youth Centre, where voting is taking place.

The media have also been denied entry by the police, who insist on NPP Accreditation before allowing anyone entry, he notes.

"Just got my phone seized by the police for taking pictures of them," he adds.

Voting is yet to begin at the constituency.

9:42am: From the New Juaben North constituency, George Folley reports that delegates are going through the voting process at the Hackman Social Centre at Oyoko in the Koforidua Metropolis. In all 316 people are expected to cast their votes.

10:06: From the Tano North Constituency in the Brong Ahafo Region, 35 Zadok Kwame Gyesi reports that police officials have been deployed to maintain security at the Tanoso Funeral Grounds, where the NPP primaries is currently on-going.

According to him the officials, including plain-clothed ones, have been placed at vantage points on the voting grounds.

Zadok adds that all the delegates have been given accreditation and that those without accreditation will only be allowed entry after their names have been verified in the voters register.

Voting at the constituency started at 9:38am, with delegates from Duayaw Nkwanta opening the process.

The Tano North Constituency is being contested by the incumbent Mrs Freda Prempeh and Mr Ernest Kusi-Dua.

10:07: Salomey Appiah reports from the Dome Kwabenya constituency in the Greater Accra Region that accredited voters are in a queue waiting to cast their vote.

10:15: Wa Central Constituency: Michael Quaye reports that voting has begun.

10:35: Tano North Constituency: Zadok Kwame Gyesi: There was a small misunderstanding when someone who is not delegate joined the voting queue, but the police were able to bring the situation under control.

10: 36: Former Local Government Minister, Maxwell Kofi Juma, has been arrested at the Asokwa Constituency in Ashanti Region after vandalizing some election materials.

Graphic Online correspondent at the constituency, Kwadwo B. Donkor, said Mr Jumah seized ballot booklet from an Electoral Commission official and attempted to tear it, resulting in a free for all fight.

The police subsequently arrested him. Voting has resumed under increased police presence.

11:35: Voting has been suspended in the Asokwa constituency after election materials were destroyed by Mr Maxwell Kofi Jumah in a struggle with EC officials. Kwadwo B. Donkoe reports that the NPP Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, in consultation with the constituency chairman, has asked for the suspension of voting for a while, as they go into a closed door meeting.

11:36: Bantama constituency: Donald Ato Dapatem reports: It is smooth sailing at the Bantama Constituency, where voting is progressing steadily. Voting is taking place at the Centre for National Culture. 532 delegates are expected to vote.

There has not been a single problem. Both incumbent, Mr Henry Kokofu, and his only contender, Daniel Aboagye, are seen moving around freely.

12:00: Takoradi constituency. By popular acclamation, Kwabeba Okyere-Darko will lead NPP Takoradi constituency, while Joseph Cudjoe will represent the Effia constituency.

12:08: Cape Coast constituency: Shirley Asiedu-Addo reports that voting is going on smoothly. A total of 473 delegates are voting.

Voting began around 9.40 am at the Centre for national culture in Cape Coast.

Mr Perry Mensah, Mr Alfred Thompson and Mr Michael Atta Dadzie, the aspirants engaged in warm conversations as they sat together observing proceedings.