The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is to open nominations in 18 constituencies where elections were put on hold due to some differences which have now been resolved.
The largest opposition party held the final leg of its internal polls on May 13, 2023 across the country to elect the flag bearer and parliamentary candidates for the 2024 general election but the party had to postpone elections in the 18 constituencies.
The acting Director of Elections of the NDC, Daniel Amartey Mensah, who made this known in an interview with the Daily Graphic said opening of nominations in those constituencies would begin from Tuesday, August 1, 2023.
He explained that in some of the affected constituencies nominations were opened but the elections did not take place while in others nominations did not open at all.
Giving the breakdown on a regional basis, Mr Mensah said four of the affected constituencies were in the Ashanti Region, two in Central, One in Western North, five in Eastern, two in Greater Accra, three in Western and one in Ahafo, bringing the total to 18.
The four constituencies in the Ashanti Region, are Mampong, Adansi Asokwa, Manhyia South and Fomena and for the Central Region they are Effutu and Gomoa Central while that of the Western North is Sefwi Akontombra.
For the Eastern region the constituencies are Abuakwa South Akwatia, Lower West Akim, Afram Plains South and Ayensuano, in the Greater Accra Region they are Ayawaso West Wuogon and Odododiodio, with that of the Western Region being Amenfi East, Tarkwa Nsuaem and Evalue Ajomoro Gwira, and that of the Ahafo Region is Tano North.
Mr Mensah said if elections were held in the 18 outstanding constituencies it would be the full complement of the total number of the party’s parliamentary candidates for the 2024 general election.
The party originally planned to hold parliamentary elections in 276 constituencies, including the Santrokofi-Akpafu-Lolobi-Likpe (SALL) area, until various circumstances intervened to force the suspension of the polls in the 18 constituencies.
With this development when the elections are successful in the 18 constituencies the party will now have the full complement of its parliamentary candidates for the national polls in 2024.