The National Democratic Congress (NDC) last Saturday held additional primaries in three of the four constituencies where elections were to have taken place.

Last Saturday’s [August 31, 2019] primaries which had been placed on hold due to some internal challenges, ought to have taken place in four constituencies beiing Assin South and Mfantsiman in the Central Region, Fanteakwa North in the Eastern and Ellembelle in the Western regions.

However, while the primaries took place in three, that of the Fanteakwa North could not come off because the leadership of the constituency said the notice to hold the primary was a little belated and did not provide them the opportunity for adequate preparation.

The NDC’s National Director of Elections, Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, told the Daily Graphic that following the directive by the Functional Executive Committee (FEC) of the party which gave the clearance for the holding of primaries in the aforementioned constituencies, the Fanteakwa Constituency had indicated that the notice had reached it late and did not give room for adequate preparation and for which reason the primary for that constituency had been rescheduled for Saturday, September 7, 2019.

The NDC on Saturday, August 24, 2019 held its first batch of primaries in 157 constituencies across the country involving some 524 aspirants.

However, elections in some constituencies were put on hold, pending the outcome of internal party issues.

Those constituencies included Assin South, Mfanstiman, Asawase, Mpohor, Yilo Krobo, Fanteakwa North and Ellembelle.

With the clearance of the four constituencies, the remaining ones should have been Asawase, Yilo Krobo and Mpohor but the Fanteakwa North would now be added pending its successful outcome on September 7, 2019.

The Deputy General Secretary of the NDC in charge of operations, Mr Peter Boamah Otokonor, told the Daily Graphic that a committee that was set up to look into the issues in the affected constituencies had not yet completed its work in all the constituencies.

He added that when the  committee was done with its work in the remaining constituencies, dates for the primaries would be announced by the party.

In Saturday’s primaries, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ellembelle and former Minister of Petroleum under the erstwhile Mahama regime, Mr Armah Kofi Buah, was retained after polling 993 votes to secure the bet.

Western Region

Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu reports from the Western Region that the NDC delegates at Ellembelle retained his candidature after he polled 993 votes, representing 91 per cent to beat his main contender, Mr Miezah Mea-Alleah, who only garnered 99 votes representing 9.0 per cent after a total of 1,096 delegates voted.

After the election, Mr Buah assured the party of his commitment to unite the rank and file ahead of the 2020 general election.

He recalled the hard work showcased throughout his tenure as the repreprentative for the area and the characteristic role played by the leadership of the party in the constituency.

The MP promised another resounding victory for the NDC in the parliamentary election as well as the presidential candidate of the party, John Dramani Mahama in 2020.

Before the polls, many of the delegates had signalled Mr Buah was their last bet following the level of achievements chalked  up within the period that he served as the lawmaker in Parliament.

For many of the delegates, there was no better person to offer true leadership in the constituency than the current MP who has been credited for many infrastructure projects which cut across all important sectors of the economy.

His laudable achievements in government, members of  the party noted, were also visible in the power and petroleum sectors when he served as Deputy Minister of Energy, Energy Minister and subsequently Minister of Petroleum in the administrations of Professor John Evans Atta Mills and John Dramani Mahama respectively.

Central Region

From the Central Region, Shirley Asiedu-Addo reports that the NDC elected two more parliamentary candidates for two constituencies in the Cental Region.

Mr James Essoun was elected for Mfantseman while Nana Baffoe was also elected for the Assin South constituencies respectively.

Mr James Essoun polled 838 of the 1527 votes cast way ahead of his closest contender, Richmond Atta-Williams who polled  477 votes.

Mr Charles Fiifi Buadu, the third contestant had 205 votes.

Mr James Essoun — Elected parliamentary candidate for Mfantseman

In the Assin South constituency Nana Baffoe polled 451 votes to beat two other contestants to win the slot to represent the NDC.

Kobena Anomafo polled 341 while Kofi Nyarkodan Korankye had 113 votes.

Four other constituencies, including the Effutu, Awutu Senya East, Assin Central and Agona East, still have their elections pending.

The Effutu and Awutu Senya East elections were put on hold due to some misunderstandings.

The Central Regional Director of Elections of the NDC, Mrs Gloria Koomson, told the Daily Graphic "the party felt it was not safe to have the elections in these two constituencies,  adding that national would decide on a date for the elections.”

Assin Central pending

The election for the Assin Central Constituency is also pending because its only candidate was disqualified by the vetting committee. "We would have to open fresh nominations in Assin Central,” she pointed out.

The Agona East election had a court injunction placed on it, following a last minute case filed by a member of the party.

Twelve elected

Twelve of the constituencies  elected parliamentary candidates last weekend either through election or by popular acclamation.

They include the Twifo Hemang Lower Denkyira, Asikuma Odoben Brakwa, Agona West, Gomoa Central, Ekumfi and Abura Asebu Kwamankese.

Others are Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem, Twifo Atti Mokwa,  Awutu Senya West, Gomoa East, Cape Coast South and Gomoa West constituencies.

Thus with the elections of two more candidates, the number adds up to 14.