Late arrival of materials delay NDC primaries in Ashanti
Voting in the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential and parliamentary primary elections in the Ashanti Region got off to a late start due to the late arrival of voting materials – indelible ink, ballot papers, voting registers and transparent ballot boxes.
At most of the centres, polls started at around 10am, three clear hours after the stipulated time of 7am, a few of the polling stations however managed to start on schedule.
When the GNA visited some of the polling stations in Kumasi, including the Oforikrom, Suame, Nhyiaeso, Asawasi, Subin and Bantama constituencies of the NDC, voting was yet to start.
At the Asokwa Presbyterian Basic School in the Asokwa Constituency, 16 voters out of the total 170 had cast their ballots as of 10am, while the Asokwa Girls’ M/A Basic School centre had registered 10 voters out of the total 143 around the same time.
Two aspirants – Alhaji Mohammed Bassit and Ms Dorcas Dufie are contesting to be given the nod.
The picture was however different at the Ohwimase-Denchemuoso polling centre in the Kwadaso Constituency, where voting started on time with no glitches whatsoever. In all, 735 card-bearing members are billed to vote out of which 27 had voted at the time the GNA visited.
A total of 93 candidates, 13 of them women, are fighting for endorsement by the party to contest the 2016 parliamentary election on its ticket in 47 constituencies.
In all, 192, 638 registered voters are eligible to vote, 16 of the aspirants are contesting unopposed, they include Memunatau Kabore, Tafo-Pankrono, Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mohammed, Asawasi and Johnny Osei Kofi, Oforikrom.
At the Ohwimase-Denchemuoso polling centre in the Kwadaso Constituency, voting started at 7:45 with no glitches whatsoever. In all, 735 card-bearing members are billed to vote.
As at 10am when the GNA visited the centre 27 out of the number had voted. Monica Nana Bawuah is contesting unopposed for the seat.
At the Asokwa Presbyterian Basic School in the Asokwa Constituency, 16 voters out of the total 170 had cast their ballots as of 10am, while the Asokwa Girls’ M/A Basic School centre had registered 10 voters out of the total 143.
Two aspirants – Alhaji Mohammed Bassit and Ms Dorcas Dufie are contesting to be given the nod.
Outside Kumasi, at the Asante-Akim South and Atwima Mponua constituencies too, voting had not yet started as of 10am.
The one-day congress, a novelty in the party’s history is to elect parliamentary candidates for the crucial 2016 elections while also endorsing President John Dramani Mahama as the Presidential candidate.
Source: GNA