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05.04.2008 NPP

NPP Vets Aspirants

By Daily Guide
NPP Vets Aspirants
05.04.2008 LISTEN

The leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is meeting in Accra today to fix dates for vetting of aspirants leading to the holding of parliamentary primaries in constituencies with sitting MPs.

The party closed the submission of nominations last Monday after the exercise lasted for one month.

High-profile individuals have filed to contest the primaries, making the race to Parliament very unpredictable.

According to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), the Eastern Regional Secretariat of the party received 62 nominations from aspirants to contest the party's parliamentary primaries at the close of nomination on Tuesday, April 2.

Yaw Gyekye Amoabeng, Eastern Regional Chairman of the party, told journalists in Koforidua that all the constituencies had submitted their nomination forms with the exception of Fanteakwa Constituency. However, he did not explain the delay.

Nana Akufo-Addo's Abuakwa South Constituency has the highest aspirants of six, Mpraeso and Akyem Oda have five aspirants each, Abetifi, New Juaben South, Kade and Okere have four each.

Abirem, New Juaben North, Nkawkaw, Akwatia and Lower West Akyem have three each, Ofoase/ Ayirebi, Akuapem South, Abuakwa North, Ayensuano, Asuogyaman, Atiwa and Suhum have two each and an aspirant for Akropong.

Mr Amoabeng said the exercise was fruitful and the National Executive Committee would meet today, Friday, April 4 to fix dates for the vetting of the aspirants, to be followed by primaries in the constituencies in June.

He said the secretariat had already selected aspirants for 'orphan constituencies' in the region and was optimistic that the party would win 25 seats during the December parliamentary election.

Some of the aspirants are Atta Akyea, an Accra-based private legal practitioner; Fiifi Ofori-Atta, a Computer Analyst; Gloria Ofori-Buadu, Kwame Acheampong Boateng, both lawyers; Victor Asihene, DCE for East Akyem; and Nana Fredua Ofori-Atta, a media practitioner; all for Abuakwa South.

For the Akuapem South seat, it is a straight fight between the incumbent, Magnus Opare-Asamoah, Deputy Minister of Transportation, and O.B. Amoah, Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Sports, while Kwasi Ankamah, a Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff at the Office of the President and Amoaka Atta, Presiding Member for Atiwa District Assembly battle for the Atiwa seat.

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