A total of 38 candidates will battle it out to lead the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 12 constituencies without sitting Member of Parliament (orphan constituencies) in the Central Region in Saturday’s parliamentary primaries.
The party is expected to elect formidable candidates to be able to win majority parliamentary seats in the region if it intends to win the 2024 elections with a wider majority in parliament.
Out of the 23 parliamentary seats in the Central Region, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) won 12 seats while the NPP won the remaining 11 parliamentary seats in the 2020 parliamentary elections.
There is only one candidate, Rashid Kwesi Etuaful, the NPP parliamentary candidate for the 2020 parliamentary elections in the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam, contesting in the primaries in the constituency and he would be contesting against NDC’s Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.
The Upper Denkyira West Constituency would witness four candidates, Daniel Appianin, Thomas Korang, Rudolf Amoako-Gyampah and Richmond Kodua contest.
In the Cape Coast North Constituency, Horace EkowEwusi, Lawrence Ampah and Barbara Asher Ayisi, a former MP for the constituency while Ebenezer Obeng Dwamena and Nana Kwame Ofori-Nti, would be contesting to represent the party in the Twifo Atti Mokwaa Constituency.
For the Cape Coast South Constituency, Theodora Sarah Afful, a former Regional Assistant Secretary and Regional Director of Youth Employment will slug out with the Metropolitan Chief Executive for Cape Coast, Ernest Arthur and James Brew-Wartemberg.
The Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) will witness Ebenezer AgyemanKessie, Percyval Dennis Quaicoe and Samuel Kofi Dentu contesting to win the sole ticket from the constituency.
Six contestants, Anthony Effah, Emmanuel Adjei Domson, Michael Kyeremateng, Winifred Abaidoo-Ayin, Francis BannascoAmpong-Ansah and Lawrence Edutuah-Asiaw would be contesting the primaries in the AsikumaOdoben Brakwa Constituency.
The former MP for Ekumfi, Francis Kingsley Ato Cudjoe would be coming up against Kweku Baah Ofori, Albert Tetteh Entsie and Stelfa Nana Adu Okumkom Donkor for the party’s parliamentary slot in the Ekumfi Constituency.
In Gomoa West, the District Chief Executive, BismarkBaisie Nkum would be coming up against Romeo Houston Adams, Hikimatu Yahaya Iddi and Joseph Affu Eshun while the Gomoa East Constituency had the former MP for the area, KojoAsemanyi being challenged by Richard Panford, Philip Quaye and Lawrence Appiah-Adjei.
The Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Kofi Bentum Arhin will be coming up against Amos Kofi Opei Okai for the Awutu Senya West parliamentary ticket while Hannah Asamoah and Prince Yaw Essah would be contesting in the Agona East Constituency.
FROM DAVID O. YARBOI-TETTEH, CAPE COAST