The New Patriotic Party(NPP) is undertaking its parliamentary primaries in all constituencies with sitting Members of Parliament(MPs) today, January 27, 2024.
The parliamentary primaries are very significant to the party since the elected candidates are the force going to assist the NPP flagbearer Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and the yet-to-be-elected running mate to ‘break the 8’ in the 2024 general election as it has been the focus of the incumbent government.
Since the declaration of the date for the parliamentary primaries by the National Executive Committee(NEC) of the party, constituencies such as Dome-Kwabenya, Bekwai, Bantama and others have been of interest to many due to the aspirants contesting in those constituencies.
As the date for the parliamentary primary is due, The GhanaReport presents highlights on trending constituencies due to controversies surrounding candidates in those constituencies.
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Bekwai Constituency
Bekwai constituency, located in the Ashanti Region is one of the key focus constituencies in the NPP parliamentary primaries. The incumbent Member of Parliament for the constituency, Joseph Osei-Owusu popularly known as Joe Wise is among the eighteen NPP MPs who have voluntarily declared their intention not to contest in the primaries.
The party has qualified four aspirants; George Alex Mensah, Henry Opoku-Ware, Kinsley Opoku Agyemang, and Ralph Poku-Adusei to contest in the anticipated primaries.
Earlier, a group of delegates in the constituency accused their outgoing Member of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu of imposing COP Mensah on them. They have agreed to only vote for a competent candidate who can be entrusted with a ministerial role when the government continues its role in the next four years.
Retired COP George Alex Mensah
George Alex Mensah, a retired Commissioner of Police (COP) is very optimistic about continuing his public service career in the political domain.
The retired police officer is the reason why everyone is interested in knowing the outcome of the primaries in the Bekwai constituency due to his controversial record.
It will be recalled that three senior police officers – COP George Alex Mensah, George Asare, and Emmanuel Gyebi, both superintendents, together with Daniel Bugri Naabu, a former Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), were captured in a conversation ostensibly plotting to remove the current IGP before the 2024 general elections.
While Daniel Bugri Naabu confirmed the tape’s contents, COP Alex Mensah and Superintendent George Asare denied the accuracy of the recording, alleging that portions had been “edited.”
COP Mensah contended that the tape had been doctored and did not reflect the original conversation with former NPP Northern Regional Chairman Bugri Naabu.
Additionally, he claimed that IGP George Akuffo Dampare had political affiliations with the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), a claim the IGP has described as baseless.
Meanwhile, COP Mensah is very confident that he will be vindicated when the committee releases the report.
Ralph Poku-Adusei
Ralph Poku-Adusei, a private legal practitioner is one of the aspirants in the parliamentary primaries to be conducted in the Bekwai constituency.
He is very confident of succeeding Joseph Osei-Owusu to be the next Member of Parliament for the Bekwai constituency.
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has commended Ralph Poku-Adusei for his selfless support and contribution to the growth and development of the NPP, particularly in Bekwai.
Henry Opoku-Ware
Mr. Henry Opoku-Ware popularly known as Owass is hopeful of winning the primary to be the parliamentary candidate for the NPP in the 2024 parliamentary election.
According to Owass, he is the only person who has what it takes to take over from Joseph Osei-Owusu and to continue the developmental projects initiated by him.
Kinsley Opoku Agyemang
Mr. Kingsley Opoku Agyemang known as Katakyie will be contesting in the parliamentary primaries scheduled for today, January 27, 2024.
Mr Agyemang has promised to ensure the promotion of quality education in his constituency when he is given the mandate to be the preferred candidate for the Bekwai constituency after the primaries.
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Bantama Constituency
The Bantama Constituency, located in the Ashanti Region, Kumasi is a very prominent Parliamentary seat in the affairs of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The constituency is notable to be a stronghold of the NPP. This year, the incumbent MP for the constituency, Francis Asenso-Boakye is facing a fierce contest with lawyer Ralph Kwame Agyapong, the brother of the maverick politician, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong.
Francis Asenso-Boakye
Francis Asenso-Boakye, the former Deputy Chief of Staff and currently serving as the Minister for Works and Housing is very passionate about retaining his seat in the Bantama constituency.
Despite the zealousness of his contender, Ralph Kwame Agyapong, the incumbent MP is hopeful to retain his position as the NPP candidate for the 2024 parliamentary election.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has also urged the people of the Bantama Constituency to retain Francis Asenso-Boakye as their Member of Parliament in the 2024 general election.
Ralph Kwame Agyapong
Ralph Kwame Agyapong, a lawyer and brother of the maverick politician, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong is determined to unseat Francis Asenso-Boakye, who is seeking re-election for a second term.
Ralph’s campaign message centred on providing jobs for delegates six months after his election as the parliamentary candidate for the 2024 general election.
He claims Asenso-Boakye is tagging him as “Aboboyaa[Tricycle motorcycle] but at the end of the election, the MP will realize that he is competent in managing affairs in the Bantama constituency.
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Dome-Kwabenya Constituency
Dome Kwabenya Constituency in the heart of the Greater Accra Region is one of the constituencies that is making headlines in the upcoming NPP parliamentary primaries.
The internal poll is a close contest between the incumbent, Ms Sarah Adwoa Sarfo, and Mr Mike Oquaye Jnr, who is making another attempt after losing the 2020 polls to the incumbent by eight votes difference.
The other candidate in the primaries is lawyer Sheela Sakyi Oppong Adoma who is a first-time contender in the constituency.
Ms Sarah Adwoa Sarfo
Ms Sarah Adwoa Sarfo, a former Deputy Majority Leader and Gender Minister under the NPP government is the incumbent Member of Parliament for the Dome Kwabenya Constituency.
She got the nod to lead the constituency in 2012 and was re-elected in 2016 and 2020.
Along the line, Ms Sarah Adwoa Sarfo ditched her parliamentary and ministerial roles to attend to family responsibilities which compelled most of the delegates in the constituency to register their displeasure with her action.
In the Dome Kwabenya Constituency primary, a total of 1,840 delegates are expected to cast their votes. While some are supporting Adwoa Sarfo, others believe it is time for her close contender, Mr. Mike Oquaye Jnr, to lead the constituency in the 2024 general election.
Mr. Mike Oquaye Jnr
Mr. Mike Oquaye Jnr, the son of the former Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye is contesting in the 2024 NPP parliamentary primary.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Free Zones Authority is confident about winning the incumbent MP, Adwoa Sarfo, to lead the party for the 2024 general election in the constituency.
He claims that most of the delegates are happy about his return to the primaries because they want a capable leader like him to lead the party.
Sheela Sakyi Oppong Adoma
Sheela Oppong Sakyi, a legal practitioner and strategist at the office of the First Lady, is the new force planning to change the image of the Dome Kwabenya constituency.
As a first-time contender, she is not leaving any stone unturned as she hopes the delegates will choose her over Adwoa Sarfo and Mr. Mike Oquaye Jnr.
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Tano North Constituency
Tano North constituency is situated in the Ahafo Region. The constituency being one of the NPP strongholds is expected to elect its candidate for the 2024 parliamentary election today, January 27, 2023.
All the contenders in the primaries are playing instrumental roles in the governing New Patriotic party and the nation at large.
The candidates include the incumbent MP and Minister for Sanitation, Freda Prempeh and Gideon Boako, spokesperson for Vice President Dr. Bawumia.
Freda Prempeh and Gideon Boako
With these two personalities contending for the Tano North seat, the public is very interested in knowing whether Freda will be able to retain her seat or not
Both candidates claim they have the full support of the delegates in the constituency but the actual winner will be known after the end of the election.
READ ALSO: See The List Of All Candidates Contesting In The NPP Parliamentary Primaries
The other hot constituency seats that cannot be overlooked in the NPP parliamentary primaries are the Asante Akim North Constituency, Asante Akim Central Constituency, Adansi Asokwa Constituency, and Essikado Ketan Constituency.
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Asante Akim North
In the Asante Akim North Constituency, the party has qualified five candidates and they are; Kwadwo Baah Agyemang, Samuel Kwadwo Frimpong, Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, the incumbent MP who alleged that a wealthy businessman bribed some of the NPP MPs calling for the resignation of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to rescind their decision.
The other candidates are Stephen Obeng Saka and Kwasi Kwarteng Frimpong.
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Asante Akim Central
The Asante Akim Central Constituency has candidates like Kwame Ayimadu-Antwi the incumbent MP, Kofi Nkansah Ofosu, the Chief Executive of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) who was recently arrested by the Office Special Prosecutor (OSP) on charges of distributing money to delegates ahead of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primary in the Asante Akyem Central constituency in the Ashanti Region and the third candidate on the ballot paper is Nana Agyemang Amponsah.
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Adansi Asokwa
The Adansi Asokwa Constituency has candidates like the incumbent MP Kobina Tahir Hammond popularly known as K.T Hammond, Kwabena Nkansah Asamoah, Dr. Enoch Acheampong and Samuel Darkwa Binfoh.
Recently, the incumbent MP, who serves as the Trade and Industry Minister, filed a petition for the National Executive Committee (NEC) to disqualify his three contenders because he wanted to go unopposed in the parliamentary primaries.
READ ALSO: Here Are The 105 Approved Centres For The NPP Parliamentary Primaries On Jan. 27
K. T Hammond alleged that all the three aspirants contesting him were not card-bearing members of the party.
However, the party dismissed his petition and gave the green light to the three candidates to contest in the upcoming primaries.
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Manhyia South
Manhyia South Constituency also has candidates such as the incumbent MP Matthew Opoku Prempeh who currently serves as the Minister for Energy, Kwabena Addo Amankwah, and Helena Pinamang Owusu.
Many people are calling on the NPP flagbearer Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to elect the incumbent MP as his running mate for the 2024 election. Could that choice by the public influence the outcome of the primaries? This has made many people turn their attention to the primary in the Manhyia South Constituency.
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Essikado Ketan
Essikado Ketan Constituency on the other hand has candidates like Giovanni Nana Osei-Tutu Agyemang, Charles Bissue, former secretary to the erstwhile Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) and Anna Horma Akaisi Miezah.
The incumbent MP, Joe Ghartey, is one of eighteen majority representatives who have decided not to contest in the 2024 parliamentary election.