By Isaac Arkoh
Assin Fosu (C/R), Nov. 04, GNA – Mr. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential hopeful, has cast his ballot at the Pentecost Worship Centre at Assin Fosu in the Assin Central Constituency.
He described the processes as of 0800 hours as smooth and urged stakeholders to ensure orderliness and fairness in the election processes.
“I’m not fixated on becoming president at all costs but all I seek is fairness in the processes,” Mr. Agyapong said in an interview after casting his ballot.
The four presidential aspirants of the governing NPP, who were pre-selected from 10 candidates during a Super Delegates Conference, will know their fate by close of day, Satutday November 4.
The delegates would determine who is chosen to lead the party’s desire to break the eight-year jinx under the Fourth Republic.
First on the ballot is Mr. Agyepong, followed by the Vice-President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, a former Minister of Food and Agriculture snapped the third place on the ballot sheet, with former MP for Ashanti Mampong, Francis Addai-Nimoh on the fourth spot on the ballot.
Meanwhile, at about 0530 hours, dozens of NPP delegates had gathered waiting anxiously for the triumphant entry of Mr. Agyepong for all of them to cast their ballots.
In all, a total of 511 delegates are expected to vote in the Assin Central Constituency.
That includes 475 polling station executives from 95 electoral areas, electoral area coordinators 15, constituency executives 17, council of elders one, Tescon two, the Municipal Chief Executive.
Across the Region, there are 23 Constituencies consisting of 391 constituency officers, 17,095 polling station officers, 17 Regional Officers, 16 Tescon executives, 10 MPs and 22 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Executives.
Others are Mrs. Justina Marigold Assan, the Central Regional Minister, two national Council Members, one founding member and 572 electoral Area Coordinators.
All Regional executives will vote at Siwdo Sports stadium amidst tight security.
However, hours after an electrifying vigil at Assin Dompim last night, the hometown of Mr Agyepong appears solemn in the early hours of Saturday.
Many of the youth were out of town to rally support for the son of the soil to win the presidential primary.
Before, an all-night prayer was held on Friday night after supporters of Mr. Agyapong declared a day of fasting and prayers in an inter denominational church service on the theme: Seeking the face of the Lord for a resounding victory, which was taken from Psalm 34:4-5.
The supporters believed that the selection of a leader for the NPP and the country by extension had some spiritual connotation and could be achieved with the guidance of God.
The gathering attracted scores of polling station executives from Koasoa through Diaso to Assin Praso.
Some indigenes of Assin and Assin Dompim arrived in expensive cars and took over the celebration amidst pomp and pageantry.
Across the Assin Fosu Municipality, Mr Agyapong’s banners and posters on walls, electric poles were uncountable.
From the Starlets’ pub at Mempeasem through the Phobia Woman and Green Light to the Finest Pub were full of people waiting in in anticipation for the outcome of the result.
The mood from Assin Fosu College of Education through the police barrier, the pump side roundabout, railway bride to the St. Andrews Senior High School junction, was ecstatic.
The posters of Mr. Agyapong had swallowed the entire area and other aspiring candidates except that of Dr. Bawumia who seemed to be in silent competition.
GNA