One female aspirant wins in Upper East
The only female aspirant in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primaries in the Upper East Region, Mrs Agbanwa A. Gabiana, caused a major upset by beating her two main contenders to become the candidate to run on the ticket of the NPP for the Bawku Central Constituency in the 2016 general elections.
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The 56-year-old Physician Assistant and Medical Officer in charge of the Bawku Urban Health Centre polled 302 votes to beat her two contenders, Alhaji Abuakar Jibreel Ustaz and the former Managing Director of Metro Television, Mr Alhassan Haruna, who had 152 and 107 votes respectively.
The only remaining NPP incumbent MP in the region, Mr Adagbila Boniface Gambilla, polled 147 to retain his seat by beating Mr Yen Sapark, who had 84 votes.
Twenty-four Parliamentary aspirants contested in 13 out of the 15 constituencies in the Upper East Region.
The Talensi and Pusiga constituencies did not take part in the elections as the incumbent Member of Parliament for Talensi, Mr Robert Nachinab Doameng Masore, has been enskinned as the Paramount Chief of the area, while the regional leadership of the party was sorting out outstanding issues with regard to the Pusiga Constituency.
Dr Joseph Kofi Adda obtained 351 votes to beat his only contender, Alhaji Abdallah Achuliwor, who had 175 votes, while a former Municipal Chief Executive for Bawku, Mr Abanga Abdulai, obtained 222 votes to beat his contender, Mr Stephen Yakubu, who had 165.
The former District Chief Executive for Builsa North, Mr Thomas Alonsi, put up a spirited fight to defeat the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association, Mr Listowel Awaanbe Burkarson, by obtaining 243 votes as against 155.
Mr Daniel K. Gariba obtained 219 votes to represent the Builsa South Constituency by beating Mr Daniel Kojo Akandobli, who had 81 votes.
Another upset was witnessed in the Chiana-Paga Constituency when Alowe Leo Kabah, a former Member of Parliament, trailed his contenders by way of losing to Mr Clement Dandori, who had 307 votes, while Mr Atinbire Solomon Abotiba had 130 votes with Mr Kabah getting 168.
Then Bolgatanga Central Constituency saw the election of a 57-year-old development practitioner, Mr Rex S.A. Asanga, who obtained 320 votes to beat Mr Amiyuure Joseph Atura, who had 238 votes while Mr Agana Bawa Rashid, a media practitioner and Chief Executive Officer of Tanga Radio, obtained 13 votes.
Mr Joseph Dindiok Kpenka, Mr Alhassan Samari, Professor Emmanuel Abugre Abole, Mr Frank Fuseini Adongo and Mr Gabriel N. A. Agana went unopposed for the Garu, Tempane, Bolga East, Zebilla and Bongo constituencies respectively.
Except for a misunderstanding in the Nabdam Constituency where a group tried to stop the incumbent MP from distributing calenders and brochures containing pictures of development projects in his constituency, accusing him of trying to influence the delegates, voting in the regions went on smoothly with a little security presence at the voting centres.