The party says all the necessary arrangements have been made to ensure that the constituency primaries, which are to be conducted for the first time at various individual constituencies, instead of delegates converging at one particular location, become free, fair and transparent.
The Ashanti Regional Secretary of the party, Mr. Samuel Pyne, told The Chronicle in an interview that the party expects about 15,000 delegates to participate in the exercise, while about 95 aspirants have officially been certified to contest in the elections.
He stated that primaries would be held in 30 out of the 39 constituencies in the region, adding that seven constituencies would hold popular acclamations for their candidates, whilst the two other constituencies, namely Bekwai and Bosome Freho, which are currently being occupied by independent candidates, remain outstanding.
The seven candidates who would be popularly-acclaimed on Saturday by virtue of their going indepedent are; Hon. Isaac Osei for Subin Constituency, Hon. Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei for Old Tafo, Lawyer Ben Abdallah and Collins Ntim for Offinso South and North respectively.
The rest are the Minority Leader and MP for Suame, Hon. Kyei Mensah Bonsu, MP for Adansi Asokwa, Hon. Kobina Tahiru Hammond and Hon. Appiah Pinkrah, the MP for Adansi Akrofuom.
Mr. Pyne stated that the party had held talks with the regional police command to provide security at all the 330 voting centres, and the seven other constituencies where the official acclamations would be performed.
He further disclosed that ballot papers and other voting materials were expected today at the regional party office, after which all the 95 aspirants, together with their agents would be invited to inspect them, before they would be dispatched to the various voting centers.
The regional scribe noted that they expect the elections to be very peacefully since all the stakeholders have been involved at every stage during preparations.
Meanwhile, the attention of supporters in the garden city, the stronghold of the party would be firmly glued to some popular constituencies in the region where the competition is expected to be keen.
Amongst the popular constituencies, where the outcome of the votes is still very difficult to predict include the Nhyiaeso, Asokwa, Ejisu-Juabeng and the Ahafo Ano South constituencies.
Aspirants in those constituencies have been talking tough and are brimming with confidence that they would achieve victories.
At the Nhyiaeso constituency for example, both Nana Ama Serwaa and the incumbent MP, Dr. Richard Anane have both laid claim to victory, while Mad. Patricia Appiagyei has pledged to unseat the incumbent, Maxwell Kofi Jumah.
The former Foreign Minister, Mr. Osei Adjei claims he would recapture the seat he lost narrowly to the incumbent Kwabena Owusu Aduomi, who is also said to be in high spirits.
The outcome of the Ahafo Ano South constituency election is still a cliffhanger, where reports indicate that the incumbent, Hon. Kwaku Balado Manu, is reeling under intense pressure from his main opponent, Mr. Francis Adabour, a business tycoon who is said to have made significant gains amongst the delegates in the constituency.
The outcome of result at the Manhyia Constituency should not be far-fetched, as the incumbent MP, Hon. Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, is expected to achieve a landslide victory against a minor opponent, Sarpong, who was once a Communication Officer for the party at the constituency.
The incumbent MP for Kwadaso, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto should go through unscathed if his claims are anything to go by, after pledging that his opponent and ex-MP, Josephine Hilda Addo, is no-match.
The former DCE for Amansie West, Kwakye Adeefo, now a KNUST Law Graduate, could pull a fast one on the incumbent, Hon.Grace Addo, whose presence in the august house has not been felt in the constituency.
Originally posted here: