NPP ends vetting of parliamentary aspirants in orphan constituencies - Contest promises to be keen in parts of Greater Accra Region

The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) yesterday concluded the vetting of its aspiring parliamentary candidates in constituencies where the party has no Members of Parliament (MPs), often referred to as the orphan constituencies, across the country.

The four-day exercise which begun last Tuesday, November 14 and ended yesterday, Thursday, November 16, 2023 will be crowned with the election of the aspirants on December 2, 2023.

Those who will emerge as winners of the internal party contest will become the parliamentary candidates of the ruling party in the 2024 parliamentary election.

The party’s National Director of Research and Elections, Evans Nimako, told the Daily Graphic that the exercise had been smooth, and that the party was awaiting the report of the various vetting committees that were set up for the exercise.

“We are urging the rank and file of the party to respect the party’s constitution and the decision that will come from the National Executive Committee after the submission of the reports by the vetting committees,” he said.

Mr Nimako stated that the recommendation would be in line with the 1992 Constitution, specifically Article 94, which spelt out the criteria of becoming an MP, the party’s constitution and the rules and regulations fashioned for the conduct of the parliamentary primaries in the orphan constituencies.

Recall

In September, this year, the party held constituency delegates conferences to acclaim some parliamentary aspirants of the party who went unopposed in some orphan constituencies in the Upper East, Greater Accra and Northern regions

In a statement issued by the General Secretary of the party, Justin Frimpong Kodua , last Friday, to announce the date for the parliamentary primaries in the orphan constituencies on December 2,  the party put on hold elections in six of the orphan constituencies but no reasons were assigned.

They were Ketu North and Akatsi North in the Volta Region; Yilo Krobo in the Eastern Region; Jomoro in the Western Region; Fomena in the Ashanti Region and Bawku Central in the Upper East Region.

Meanwhile the Daily Graphic has learnt that the contests in some of the orphan constituencies are heating up, especially in the Greater Accra Region.

Contest

Key among the orphan constituencies where the elections would be keenly contested in the Greater Accra Region are Adenta, Ablekuma Central, Odododiodio, La-Dade Kotopon, among others.

The candidates for the Adenta Constituency are a former Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Energy, Kwasi Obeng-Fosu, popularly known as Baba Tauffic, a polling station chairman for British International polling station A and B; Winfred Nartey Obimpeh, popularly known as O.B. Nartey, who also describes himself as the grassroots person, and a Deputy Director of the National Youth Authority, Akosua Manu.

The Ablekuma Central Constituency also has a Deputy Director of Communication at the Office of the President, Jefferson Sackey; a businessman, Collins Amoah, who has also described himself as a grassroot person; a former MP, Gilbert Nii Narh Nartey, and Samuel Brako-Amoafo.

In the Odododiodio Constituency it is going to be a two horse race between Nii Lantey Bannerman and Mannaf Sowah.