NDC to recharge this weekend
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) will tomorrow hold its presidential and parliamentary elections to elect candidates for national elections in 2016.
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The contest for selection seems to be very keen and so far there have been no serious breaches reported, indicating that all seems to be going quite well.
For the first time, the voting process will involve all members of the party in all the constituencies.
Young vrs old
While some candidates are going to have it easy sailing through, there are a few areas where the contest promises to generate some heat.
A particular place to watch, for instance, will be Ningo-Prampram Constituency where the incumbent Member of Parliament, Mr E.T. Mensah, is being hotly challenged by a young, vibrant contestant and Presidential Staffer, Mr Sam George. Mr Mensah, one of the longest serving members of Ghana’s parliament, has been serving his people in that capacity since 1996.
Interesting compilations
Another place that will be interesting to watch is the Awutu Senya West Constituency in the Central Region where the incumbent Member of Parliament and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Madam Hannah Serwaa Tetteh, who is seeking re-election, is pitted against a retired soldier, Lieutenant Danny Willian Osardu, who is resolute to dethrone her.
Various names are already making the rounds as potential parliamentary candidates of the NDC. Among them, are new faces determined to leave a mark on the landscape forcing incumbents, some of whose seats are threatened, to traverse back and forth to put finishing touches to uncompleted projects in an effort to shore up their chances. Interestingly, quite a number of the new faces happen to be presidential staffers at the Flagstaff House.
Presidential staffers
I have already mentioned Mr Sam George. Also in contention is Mr Clement Apaak who will be contesting the Builsa South Seat, currently being occupied by Mr Alhassan Azong of the Peoples National Convention (PNC). Then, there is Mr Kpessa White, who is contesting the Shai-Osudoku seat.
Other interesting personalities are Mr Sam Kwesi Fletcher, Head of Public Affairs , VRA, who is contending for the seat in Gomoa West and Mr Edward Abambire Bawa, another public relations practitioner with the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, contesting Bongo.
For the Lawra constituency, Mr Bede Zeideng will attempt to remove the incumbent Mr Abu Sampson.
In fact, quite a number of well-known faces, some of whom are currently members of parliament and others who now want to enter the House, are pitching to be retained and voted for.
Their likes include incumbent Baba Jamal for Akwatia, Ras Mubarak of the National Youth Authority who has shifted his allegiance from Ablekuma North to Kumbungu.
The Ablekuma North seat is now sought after by a Deputy Minister of Communications, Mr Felix Ofosu Kwakye.
Back to batan
But, lest I forget. You may remember Mr Owurako Amofa, a one-time Deputy Minister of Tourism during the regime of President Jerry John Rawlings. He is back from his sojourn abroad and intends to wrest the Abuakwa South Constituency.
A former MP for the area from 1992 to 1996, he was defeated by the current flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, following which he became politically dormant.
The question remains whether he is serious in vying for the seat. Interesting times ahead indeed!
