Tamale, June 20, GNA – Polls have opened in the Northern and North East Regions to elect parliamentary nominees to stand on the ticket of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the December’s Parliamentary elections.
In the Northern Region, the exercise is taking place in five constituencies, where the NPP has sitting Members of Parliament (MPs).
A total of 2,296 delegates are expected to vote for 15 candidates in the five constituencies including; Yendi, Saboba, Wulensi, Nanton and Tolon.
It is a hot race at Yendi Constituency, where Mr Farouk Aliu Mahama, a son of former Vice President, comes up against Hajia Abibata Shani Zakaria, a daughter of a former Minister of State, whilst Mr Mohammed Hardi-Tufeiru, incumbent MP for Nanton slugs it out with Mr Kamal-deen Abdulai, a former National Nasara Coordinator of the NPP.
There is no contest in Bimbilla, Kpandai and Savelugu constituencies as Mr Dominic Nitiwul, Minister for Defence, Mr Matthew Nyindam, First Deputy Majority Chief Whip in Parliament and Muhamed Abdul-Samed Gunu will be acclaimed as they stood unopposed in that order.
In the North East Region, the exercise is taking place at Walewale Constituency, the home constituency of the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Nalerigu-Gambaga, and Bunkpurugu Constituencies, where a total of 1,744 delegates are expected to cast their ballots for 13 aspirants.
At Nalerigu-Gambaga, Hajia Alima Mahama, Minister for Local Government and Rural Development faces stiff competition from two others.
At the Walewale Constituency, Dr Sagre Bambangi, a Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture in-charge of Annual Crops, needs to beat five others including; a Presidential Staffer, and Solomon Boar, North East Regional Minister, to maintain his grips on the Bunkpurugu Constituency by shrugging off competition from three others.
There is no contest in the Savannah Region because Mr Salifu Adam Braimah, the Regional Minister and MP for Salaga South, is the only NPP MP in the region, and stood unopposed, and will only be acclaimed at a ceremony in the area today.
GNA