By Christopher Arko
Accra, Jan.26 GNA – All is set for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to conduct parliamentary primaries in constituencies with sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) for the Party today, January 27, 2024.
The polls are expected to take place in 105 constituencies across the country with a few incumbent MPs going unopposed.
Indications are that the primaries will be fiercely contested nationwide, but some constituencies are appearing to be battlegrounds ahead of the polls, which will elect candidates for the Party ahead of the December General Election.
The battleground constituencies include Adansi Asokwa, Dome Kwabenya, Asante Akim Central, Bantama, Tano North, Old Tafo and Bekwai.
The NPP, after securing a substantial majority with 169 seats in the 2016 presidential and parliamentary elections, faced a significant setback in 2020.
The Party experienced a notable decline, losing 32 seats and reducing the numbers to 137 whilst the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) gained some seats, bringing their total to 137.
The NPP only regained the parliamentary majority when an independent candidate decided to align with the Party in Parliament.
In his assessment of the upcoming primaries during an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Professor Seidu Alidu, Head of the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana, said the elections would be “fiercely competitive” in the NPP’s stronghold constituencies due to the greater chances of the aspirant to secure a seat in Parliament.
He said the situation could be different in swing constituencies where the aspirants would have more work to do in the main elections.
“…What is more remarkable is that a lot of the incumbents have been there for several years and people might have issues with them; so if people are fed up with incumbent MPs and the delegates still vote for them, it may have an impact on their general performance in the General Election,” he said.
The voting will commence at 0700 hours and end at 1400 hours tomorrow.
There would be no proxy voting.
The National Executive Council of the Party earlier disqualified 17 persons from contesting in the January 27 parliamentary primaries, leaving 322 candidates to contest in the elections.
Some three aspirants stepped down from the race, 33 individuals are going unopposed, and one aspirant’s application is under court process.
GNA