952 candidates in parliamentary vote

Accra, Oct. 28, GNA - A total of 952 candidates, including 100 women are contesting the December 7 Parliamentary Elections in the 230 constituencies in the country, statistics the Electoral Commission (EC) made available to GNA on Thursday indicated.

There are 125 Independent Candidates.

This compares to the 1,087 candidates that contested the 200 seats in Election 2000.

The statistics show that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) is contesting in 226 constituencies while the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is contesting 229 seats.

The Convention People's Party (CPP) is contesting 173 seats; the People's National Convention (PNC) 125 seats; Democratic People's Party (DPP) and the Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere (EGLE) 30 seats each; the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) 10 seats and the National Reform Party (NRP) five seats.

In Election 2000, there were 63 independent candidates. The PNC contested 155 seats; NPP, 199 seats; NDC, 200; CPP, 188; GCPP, three; EGLE, one; UGM, 104; NRP, 173 and Independent, 63 seats.

The regional statistics for Election 2004 indicate that PNC is contesting 11 out of the 22 constituencies in the Western Region; eight out of 19 in the Central Region; 14 out of 27 in the Greater Accra Region; 13 out of 22 in the Volta Region and 13 out of 28 in the Eastern Region.

The rest are 20 out of the 39 in the Ashanti Region; six out of 24 in the Brong Ahafo Region; 19 out of 26 in the Northern Region; 11 out of 13 in the Upper East Region and all the 10 in the Upper West Region. The NPP is contesting 20 seats in the Western Region; 18 in the Central Region; 27 in the Greater Accra Region; 22 in the Volta Region; 28 in the Eastern Region; 39 in the Ashanti Region; 24 in the Brong Ahafo Region; 26 in the Northern Region; 13 in the Upper East and nine in the Upper West Region.

The NDC is contesting 22 in the Western Region; 19 in the Central Region; 27 in the Greater Accra Region; 22 in the Volta Region; 28 in the Eastern Region; 39 in the Ashanti Region; 23 in the Brong Ahafo Region; 26 in the Northern Region; 13 in the Upper East Region and 10 in the Upper West Region.

The CPP's statistics are as follows: Western - 15; Central - 15; Greater Accra - 25; Volta - 13; Eastern - 22; Ashanti - 33; Brong Ahafo - 16; Northern - 17; Upper East - 12 and Upper West - five. EGLE: Western - one; Central - one; Greater Accra - two; Volta - eight; Eastern - 10; Ashanti - three; Brong Ahafo - three; Northern - two; Upper East - nil and Upper West - nil.

The GCPP: Western - two; Central - three; Greater Accra - two; Volta - one; Eastern - one and Ashanti - one. The Party is not contesting in the Brong Ahafo, Northern, Upper East and Upper West. The DPP: Western - one; Central -one; Greater Accra - five; Ashanti - four; Brong Ahafo - 10; Northern - five; Upper East - two and Upper West - two. The DPP is not contesting any seat in Volta and Eastern Regions.

The NRP is contesting in one seat each in the Western, Central and Volta Regions and two seats in the Greater Accra Region.

There are 12 independent candidates contesting for seats in the Western Region; 10 in the Central Region; 21 in the Greater Accra Region; 14 each in the Volta and Eastern Regions; 19 in the Ashanti Region; 12 in the Brong Ahafo Region; 11 in the Northern Region; eight in the Upper East Region and four in the Upper West Region.