Wishing NPP all the best in “orphan constituencies” primaries

All is set for the New Patriotic party (NPP) to conduct parliamentary primaries in “orphan constituencies” across the country today.

The orphan constituencies are those that the NPP has no sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) and which the party is aiming to wrestle in the 2020 elections.

According to the party, the primaries are being conducted to assess its readiness before conducting that for sitting MPs in January 2020, after which it will hold the presidential primary for the 2020 elections.

Admittedly, this is the first time the NPP is embarking on the path to elect candidates in a total of 105 orphan constituencies. Out of the number, 16 are going unopposed.

The primaries in the Asawase constituency in the Ashanti Region is the only constituency that the election has been put on hold due to unresolved issues.

Although majority of the orphan constituencies are the strong holds of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), it is without doubt the NPP believes it is capable of winning those seats.

That is why aspirants have for the past few weeks embarked on hectic campaigning in the various constituencies to convince delegates to vote for them.

The campaigns have largely been less acrimonious and the candidates have so far conducted themselves very well. If that is anything to go by, then we can safely predict very peaceful primaries today.

We would however not be surprised if there are few skirmishes in few places because elections being what they are can raise tension and tempers may flare up.

But as said before, the Ghanaian Times does not expect anything untoward and hopes that the exercise would end up peacefully with the best candidates winning.

Watching from afar, it appears that due to wrangling among some aspirants and disqualification of others, polls could not be conducted in some constituencies.

We appeal to all those involved in the election to exercise restraint; abide by the rules and regulations and avoid confrontations that may mar the election

In times like this, tempers would be high but our advice to all the candidates and their supporters are that, they should comport themselves so as to ensure peaceful elections, whose outcome would be acceptable to all.

We would encourage those who would emerge victorious to be measured in their celebrations and for those who would lose to accept the outcome in good faith.

We wish the NPPand the aspirants, all the best.