NDC Votes Today

THE RULING National Democratic Congress (NDC) will today hold elections in five regions in the country to elect parliamentary candidates for the 2012 polls. Ideally, the elections were supposed to be held in the 36 orphan constituencies in the Ashanti region but the party has reduced the number to 33 constituencies instead. Joseph Yammin, the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the NDC, told DAILY GUIDE the reduction in number had been made possible because the party had decided to suspend polls in three constituencies. Yammin mentioned the three suspended constituencies as Kumawu, Konongo and Bosomtwe. He explained that the party suspended the Kumawu and Konongo constituencies� polls because a new district had been created in the area and there was the possibility of a new constituency being created as well. Yammin noted that the Bosomtwe elections were also postponed to announce the date, basically due to the fact that the sole contender for the seat, Dr. Oteng Adjei, Minister of Energy, had travelled outside the country. Aside these three constituencies, he said, the party would conduct polls in the remaining 33 constituencies being occupied by the NPP today at 8am. Yammin stated that security would be tight at all polling centres in the 33 constituencies, cautioning NDC members to respect the laid down regulations for the polls to avert getting themselves in trouble. The Ashanti Regional NDC scribe stressed that the ruling party would not shield any party member that would be caught flouting the election regulations. In the Upper East Region, all is set for fierce competitions for the primaries in four �orphan� constituencies in the region. Most of the constituencies will have to constitute reconciliation committees to address the fallouts of the events, especially when some aspirants have been complaining of some deliberate effort by some government appointees to tilt the scale in favour of some aspirants serving in government. There will be parliamentary primaries in Bawku Central, Navrongo Central, Chiana-Paga and Binduri constituencies. Builsa South constituency will not see any serious action, because Roger Abolombisa has no competitor. Ahead of the primaries, there were a lot of allegations that some District Chief Executives were working for some of the aspirants to brighten their chances of gaining the approval of delegates, contrary to the NDC�s directives. Though most of the allegations, including awarding of small contracts to delegates, distribution of motorbikes and money, were difficult to prove, there is open evidence that most of the losers in some areas will not support the campaign of the winners in the general elections. Bawku Central Constituency will have Issaku Bukari, Programmes Manager of the Upper East Office of the Community Development and Advocacy Centre (CODAC), and Mahama Ayariga, a Deputy Minister of Education, contesting for the right to represent the NDC in the 2012 parliamentary election. Issaku Bukari, in an interview, said the field was not level in the Bawku Central, but was very hopeful that the delegates would not succumb to the high level of influence and intimidation. Binduri constituency NDC seems to have become so attractive for which reason six persons are contesting the primaries. The six are Stephen Atubigah, Mark Mumuni, David Akologo Adoliba, Noah Ben Azure, Richard Akumbas Ayabilla and Robert A. Akuganab. Three aspirants, the National Coordinator of the National Youth Employment Programme, Abuga Pele, District Chief Executive for Kassena Nankana West, Thomas Dallu Adda and Dr. Henry Atawura, would be contesting the Chiana-Paga constituency primary. Navrongo constituency will have the Upper East Regional Minister, Mark Woyongo, a Deputy National Coordinator of the National Youth Employment Programme, Jacob Adongo Atule and another member of the party, Sampson T. Chiragia, contesting.