NDC Race Heats Up

The parliamentary primaries of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) are gradually gaining momentum with some interesting names popping up as likely contenders as nominations are opened today.

After the likes of radio and television personalities, including Abeiku Aggrey aka Santana, Alhassan Suhuyini, Eric Don Arthur and Kwame Dzokoto of Efiewura fame had declared their intentions to contest, more names continue to emerge.

Latest faces include Acting Director of the National Service Secretariat, Dr Michael Kpessah Whyte for Shai Osudoku; Samuel George Nartey, Communications Specialist to the President, for Ningo Prampram and Sam Fletcher, head of Corporate Communications at the state-owned Volta River Authority (VRA) – who had earlier told DAILY GUIDE that he had no interest in the Gomoa West seat – and Deputy Energy Minister, John Jinapor for Yapei-Kusawgu, with Peter Boamah Otukunor Deputy Natioanl Coordinator for National Youth Authority (NYA), vying for the Ablekuma Central seat.

Interestingly, the new names are people who are holding positions at the presidency or purportedly enjoying the support of the president, putting the sitting MPs under intense pressure for fear of losing their seats to the president's men.

 Big Names
The names of Samuel Atta Mills, brother of the late President Mills and Ezenator Rawlings, daughter of former President Jerry John Rawlings, have also surfaced along that of former Deputy Minister of Tourism, Owuraku Amofa, who recently returned into the country after a long sojourn abroad. Owuraku Amofa, the first MP in the Fourth Republic for Abuakwa under the erstwhile EGLE party, is now going to contest in Abuakwa South.

Presidential staffers, Mohammed Adamu Ramadan, son of PNC chairman, Ahmed Ramadan for Adentan; Dr Clement Apaak, Builsa South; the Acting National Coordinator for the National Youth Authority (NYA), Ras Mubarak, Kumbungu and Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Deputy Minister for Communications, for Ablekuma North, have also popped up with posters of most of them already out.

Felix, an abrasive and rabid propagandist of the ruling party, had suddenly gone quiet because of his hope of annexing the seat which Ras Mubarak lost in the last election.

After failing to annex the Ablekuma North parliamentary seat, Ras Mubarak is now seeking refuge in Kumbugu to battle it out with incumbent Moses Yahaya Amadu, whiles Sam Fletcher, who has refused to resign his position at the VRA, is looking to contest for the Gomoa West parliamentary primaries of the party.

Samuel Atta Mills of Ghana Tourist Development Corporation is seeking to step into the political shoes his late brother left behind by contesting in the primaries in Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirim (KEEA), while Ezentor Rawlings, who seems to have used her efforts to solicit for support for victims of the June 3 disaster, has launched her visibility on the political scene to stake a claim in the Korley Klottey constituency primaries.

In the case of Mohammed Ramadan, who is not so known in political circles but for his position as presidential staffer, he is seeking to unseat incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for Adenta, Emmanuel Nii Ashie Moore, who seems to have fallen out of favour with his constituents.

But Dr Clement Apaak has also indicated his preparedness to contest in the Builsa South constituency, contesting PNC's  Alhassan Azong, Minister of State at the Presidency Responsible for Public Sector Reform.

Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Alfred Okoe Vanderpuye, also seems to have an eye on the Ablekuma South seat, with the declaration of incumbent Fritz Baffour not to seek reelection.

Controversial Kobby Acheampong is reported to be nursing an ambition to contest in the Cape Coast North parliamentary primaries of the party.

Indications are that Northern Regional Minister, Mohamed Muniru-Limuna, would also be battling it out in the Damongo constituency in a bid to unseat incumbent Adam Mutawakilu. Victoria Hamah and her brother, Lord Hamah, are gunning for Kintampo North and Tema East constituencies respectively.

 Media Boys
Other people, including Eric Don-Arthur of TV3 fame, have already indicated their intention of contesting in the Effutu primaries whiles Okay FM's Abeiku Santana is eyeing the Mfantsiman West seat like his colleague Alhassan Suhuyini of Radio Gold fame, who is going for the Tamale North primaries and Kwame Dzokoto for Tarkwa Nsuem.

The NDC is set to open nominations for both presidential primaries today and close on Thursday, September 10, 2015, to make way for vetting and other processes.

The actual voting is expected to take place on Saturday, November 7, 2015 across the country simultaneously.

By Charles Takyi-Boadu