By Christopher Arko
Accra, Nov.4 GNA-Voting is ongoing nationwide to elect a presidential candidate for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
However, in the Sunyani East Constituency of the Bono Region, the election has been put on hold after a high court in Sunyani set aside the constituency album following an injunction filed by some aggrieved party members.
Visits by the GNA to some polling stations saw delegates in queues waiting for their turn to cast their ballot in calm atmosphere.
Four candidates – Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Dr Owusu Afriyie-Akoto, a former Minister for Food and Agriculture, and Francis Addai-Nimoh, a former MP for Mampong, are vying for the NPP flagbearer slot.
Over 203,000 delegates, mainly executives of the NPP at the local and national levels, are participating in the poll to select a presidential candidate for the Party.
The delegates, who make up the electoral college are: Members of Parliament, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, ministers and their deputies, foundation members of the NPP, members of the Party’s National Council and patrons and council of elders.
The rest are regional party officers, constituency officers, constituency patrons, constituency elders, electoral area coordinators, polling station executives, overseas branches and members of TESCON, the tertiary students’ wing of the Party.
Though Dr Bawumia is considered the favourite, Kennedy Agyapong is expected to compete strongly, after he shockingly emerged second during the Party’s super delegates conference ahead of former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen.
The contestants have signed an undertaking not to resign from the Party if they lose the primaries.
GNA