NPP Primaries In New Constituencies: Surprises Galore

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Sunday held primaries across the country to elect parliamentary candidates for the 45 newly created constituencies.

The primaries were delayed following the NPP’s attempt to prevent the CI 78 which sought to give legal backing to the re-demarcation of the new constituencies from maturing.

But Parliament passed the CI into law on October 2 after it rejected the report of the Committee on Subsidiary Legislation of Parliament by a majority vote of 81 as against 56.

Reports say Hon Stephen Baalado Manu lost again in an attempt to stage a come-back. The incumbent MP, who was eying the newly created Tatale seat in the Northern Region after losing the primaries in the Ahafo Ano South constituency was again disappointed.

He was defeated by James Wunbeye, who won with 49 votes.

In the Lawra Constituency, one of the 45 new constituencies, in the Upper West Region, former National Youth Organiser of the NPP, Anthony Karbo won the primaries. He polled 279 to beat his challenger, former Regional Secretary, Stephen Kojo Ngmen who managed 85 votes.

In the Northern Region, Sheikh Abdul Karim won the Sagnarigu constituency, whiles Muhammad Kabal Deen Amidu won by popular acclamation in the Kparibatoe constituency.

In the Greater Accra Region, the incumbent MP for the Okaikoi North constituency, Elizabeth Sackey, who lost in last primaries, has once again been given the nod to contest for the second time.

She had earlier lost the seat to Patrick Boamah. But with the creation of the Okaikoi Central constituency, Mr. Boamah opted to contest the new seat paving way for Elizabeth Sackey to contest again for the Okaikoi North seat; she did and won convincingly.

Patrick Boamah therefore is now the NPP Parliamentary aspirant for the newly created Okaikoi Central constituency.

In the newly created Weija/Gbawe seat, former Deputy National Women’s Organizer of the NPP, Tina Ayele Mensah lost her bid to contest in the December general elections. Tina Mensah, who resigned her position in the party to contest the primaries against three other contenders including, Rosemond Amo Debrah , Kofi Dotsi Apiatu and Owusu Afriyie Steven, however failed in her bid.

Rosemond Amo Debrah emerged the winner.

The NPP, apart from electing candidates for the 45 new constituencies, also elected a parliamentary candidate for the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam constituency, in the Central Region.

Festus Badu Turkson won with 423 votes and becomes the Parliamentary aspirant for the constituency.

The party’s parliamentary candidate for the constituency, Mr. Ato Quainoo died a few weeks ago.