<<Print>>Aspiring candidates of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) have begun picking nomination forms to contest the party’s November 7 presidential and parliamentary primaries.
The party yesterday opened nominations for the primaries.
Some parliamentary aspirants picked nomination forms from the various constituency offices across the country, while presidential aspirants will do so at the party’s head office.
According to sources, it was highly unlikely that President John Dramani Mahama would be challenged. He is expected to pick his forms next week.
For the presidential slot, the filing fee is GH¢50,000 while that for the parliamentary is GH¢10,000.
Nominations
The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party has offered a rebate of 50 per cent for women and physically challenged aspirants.
As a result, the filing fee for women and the physically challenged will be GH¢5,000.
Nominations are scheduled to close on Thursday, September 10.
In the Greater Accra Region, Abdul Aziz reports that Alexander Ackuaku, who contested the Okaikoi South constituency parliamentary seat on the ticket of NDC in 2012 picked forms at the constituency to contest the primary for the second time.
At Weija/Gbawe the constituency treasurer of the NDC, John Ayiku Okantey, was the first to pick forms.
The incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for Ada, Mrs Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe Ghansah, also picked her forms from the Ada constituency office.
From Ho in the Volta Region, Mary Anane reports that the picking of nominations forms to contest the parliamentary primaries started at a slow pace.
So far, Agotime-Ziope Constituency has recorded the highest number of aspirants of four picking their forms.
The four are the Ho Municipal National Health Insurance Scheme Manager, Mr Charles Agbeve, a media practitioner, Madam Akusika Kpene Ansah, the vice-chairman of the Agotime-Ziope Association, Mr David Dzreke, and Mr Elvis Attivoe.
Meanwhile the incumbent, Madam Juliana Azumah Mensah, is not contesting.
A lecturer at the University of Ghana, Mr Ken Ahorsu, also picked forms to contest Dr (Mrs) Bernice Adiku Heloo, a deputy minister of Environment, Science and Technology and Innovation, who, although has declared her intention to contest, is yet to pick her nomination forms.
The incumbents of the Ho Central and the Anlo constituencies, Mr Benjamin Kpodo and Mr Kofi Humado respectively, were the only people who had picked their forms to contest in those constituencies for now.
In the Ketu North Constituency, the incumbent, Mr James Klutse Avedzi and Don Emmanuel Agbanyo had also picked their forms.
Maxwell Lukutor is contesting the incumbent in the South Tongu constituency, Mr Kobla Mensah Woyome.
Slow pace
In an interview, the Regional Organiser of the NDC, Mr Henry Ametepe, said a lot of people had called from the various constituencies, including Biakoye, Akan, and South Dayi, to be briefed on the necessary procedures.
According to him, though information gathered from the ground suggested that there had been a slow start, he said it was too early for people to pull surprises.
“I believe the subsequent days would be hotter,” he stated.
From Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, Vincent Amenuveve reports that picking of nomination forms for aspiring candidates in the Upper East Region begun at a low ebb yesterday.
Some Officials of the party however, believe that the exercise would move into top gear in the coming days before the end of the event by September 10,2015.
Candidates
When the Daily Graphic visited the NDC Bolgatanga Central Constituency office only two out of the four candidates had picked their forms as of 3:00 p.m. on Thursday (yesterday). They are the incumbent Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Mr Emmanuel Akolbire Opam Brown, and Mr Abraham Amaliba,a lawyer by profession.
The incumbent MP was however, not available to pick his forms; his spokesperson, Mr Frederick Ayine, did that on his behalf.
Mr George Gamson, who works with the Ghana Revenue Authority(GRA) in Takoradi and Mr Isaac Adongo, an accountant with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, were also expected to pick their forms.
According to the Bolgatanga Central Constituency Secretary of the NDC, Mr Abdallah Salifu,the exercise so far had been smooth, and that the remaining candidates might pick their forms today.
Meanwhile,the Daily Graphic caught up with one of the aspirants, Mr Baba Donatus Anaba, an Administrative Manager of the Euroget Group, a project financing company, who said he would be at the Nabdam Constituency to pick his nomination forms today.
The Talensi Constituency Chairman of the NDC, Alhaji Sumaila Panka, said Mr B.T. Baba, the new MP for Talensi, had picked his forms.
Alhaji Panka explained that Mr Baba would go unopposed.