The Upper East Region is undoubtedly a stronghold of the National Democratic Congress(NDC).Over the years, the fortunes of the party in both the presidential and parliamentary elections have been encouraging.
The NDC currently occupies 13 out of the 15 seats in the region, while the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the People’s National Convention (PNC) have one seat each.
As the November 21, 2015 presidential and parliamentary primaries draw near, 48 parliamentary aspirants of the NDC, including two unopposed aspirants in the region, are poised to contest the party’s primaries.
Out of the 48 aspirants, only three are women.They are Madam Vivian Anafo, the current District Chief Executive for Nabdam,Hajia Laadi Ayii Ayamba, the incumbent Member of Parliament for Pusiga and Dr Vida Nyagre, a lecturer at the University for Development Studies.
As we speak, some of the parliamentary aspirants and their campaign teams are still on the ground vigorously campaigning to canvass for votes. Indeed, a significant number of the aspirants in the various constituencies have erected billboards, while others have posters at vantage points and so upon entering any constituency, one would get the feeling that there is a forthcoming political activity and in this case, the NDC primaries.
Indeed as the aspirants go through the various constituencies criss-crossing one another, some have reportedly engaged in mud-slinging, with accusations and counter-accusations of vote buying, as well as mouth-watering promises by some aspirants to make the electorate vote for them.
Some aspirants have also accused some constituency executive members of supporting some incumbent Members of Parliament in the race. At the time of filing this report, the only incumbent MP who had pulled out of the race was the MP for Bongo, Albert Abongo.He is serving his fourth term since the year 2000.
The only aspirant who has also pulled out of the race in the Navrongo Central Constituency is Mr Peter Adaliwe Kaba, a former employee of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation. With that, the Navrongo Central and Talensi constituencies have one candidate each going unopposed. They are Mr Mark Woyongo and Mr B.T. Baba respectively. According to the Deputy Regional Organiser of the NDC who doubles as the Regional Director of Elections, Mr Issaka Haruna, parliamentary primaries in the Chiana-Paga Constituency would not be held due to an issue which he said was being dealt with at the national level.
He, however, explained that the presidential primary would be held but that would also depend on the posture of the various candidates in the Chiana-Paga Constituency, saying”if their posture would undermine the presidential primary then that one would not be held either”. “In fact, I am not privy to what the issue is really because it is beyond the region,” Mr Haruna further stated.
Enthusiastic aspirants in Bongo
The Bongo Constituency has six aspirants, which is the highest number in the 15 constituencies in the region.That is so because the constituency has a very vibrant, energetic and enthusiastic youth who would want to change the lives of people in one of the deprived districts of the Upper East Region. With the incumbent MP, Mr Abongo out of the race, the contest is now between the youth and the elderly, with the youth outnumbering the elderly. Those contesting the primaries are Lawyer Charles Bawa, Mr Karim Appiah, an Administrator at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Mr Donatus Akamugri, Regional Secretary of the NDC, the former Upper East Regional Minister, Dr Ephraim Avea Nsoh, Mr Edward Bawa, a communication consultant at the Ministry of Petroleum and Mr Robert Awuka, a police officer.
Bolgatanga Central
The Bolgatanga Central also presents another interesting revelation as the incumbent MP, Mr Emmanuel Akolbire Opam Brown, is facing stiff competition from Mr Abraham Amaliba, a lawyer, 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.This is the first time Messrs Amaliba,Gamson and Adongo are contesting the primaries.
There are more than 15,000 registered NDC voters in the Bolgatanga Central Constituency and there is a lot of euphoria about the contest, which makes it look keen.
Key watchers of the contest believe any of the four candidates who wins might get a landslide victory but on the whole, the incumbent MP, Mr Opam Brown, has been tipped to win.
Two-horse race in Nabdam
Whoever wins the primaries in the Nabdam Constituency is likely to take over the seat from the incumbent Member of Parliament, Mr Boniface Gambilla of the New Patriotic Party.
The Nabdam Constituency, the only seat occupied by the NPP in the Upper East Region, was a safe seat of the NDC occupied by Mr Moses Asaga until the 2012 elections when he fell out of favour with the electorate as he got himself embroiled in a chieftaincy dispute.
Currently, four aspirants are vying to contest on the ticket of the NDC in the upcoming primaries.They are Dr Vida Yakong Nyagre, a lecturer at the University for Development Studies, Dr Mark Kurt Nawaane, a private medical practitioner, Madam Vivian Anafo, the District Chief Executive for Nabdam and Mr Baba Donatus Anaba,the Administrative Manager of the Euroget Group.
Interactions with the electorate in the constituency by the Daily Graphic indicate that the primaries was a two-horse race between Dr Nyagre and Dr Nawaane, thus a race between two academicians.
Tough terrain in Bawku Central
The Bawku Central constituency executives are having it tough with one of the aspirants who is accusing them of taking sides and allegedly supporting the incumbent MP, Mr Mahama Ayariga. In all, there are three aspirants, including the incumbent MP contesting the primaries. The remaining two are Messrs Musah Abdulai, a former Bawku Municipal Chief Executive and Ibrahim Dory, a building and road contractor.
Unopposed Navrongo Central
When it comes to the Navrongo Central Constituency, you can be sure that the Minister of the Interior and MP for the area, Mr Mark Owen Woyongo, is a political giant in that constituency. So far he has no competitor to unseat him.The only aspirant who tried was Mr Kaba but he also pulled out of the contest, making Mr Woyongo unopposed.
The Daily Graphic interactions with residents of Nawognia,Gia and Wuru, near Navrongo, for instance, indicated that the name of Mr Woyongo had been on their lips for long. That was reinforced when he recently constructed two giant culverts to facilitate the movement of goods and services, particularly in the rainy season.
The projects cost GH¢500,000 and were constructed by Nasona Construction Firm.The projects were completed within 18 months.
