Thirty-five parliamentary aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are contesting in 12 constituencies of the Central Region where the Party has sitting members of Parliament (MPs).
The primaries is slated for Saturday, June 20, in 101 constituencies across the country with 375 contesting.
According to the Party, there would be no elections in constituencies where candidates are going unopposed, however, delegates in such constituencies would be required to converge at their various electoral areas to be addressed by the candidates.
Seven sitting MPs including Mr Kojo Asemanyi, Gomoa East, Mr Kennedy Agyepong and Reverend John Ntim Fodjour, Assin Central and Assin South respectively, are going unopposed.
Others are Mr Afenyo Markin, Effutu, Mr Ato Kingsley Cudjo, Ekumfi, Mrs Mavis Hawa Koomson, Awutu Senya East, and Naana Eyiah, Gomoa Central.
The Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa Constituency has the highest number of six aspirants contesting with the incumbent, Mr Anthony Effah, having to battle it out with Samuel Ofori Ampomah, Francis Ampong-Ansah Banasco, Ernest Kojo Smith, Bright Essilfie-Kumi and Emmanuel Adjei Domson.
Also two of five female incumbent MPs seeking re-election and are going unopposed are Mrs Mavis Hawa Koomson, Awutu Senya East, and Naana Eyiah, Gomoa Central.
However, Ms Abena Durowaa Mensah will slug it out with Eric Amankwa Blay and Emmanuel Antwi Boasiako, at Assin North.
In Cape Coast North, Mrs Barbara Asher Ayisi, Deputy Minister of Works and Housing, will contest with Messrs Lawrence Ampah, Joseph Thomas Baidoo and Philip Longdon.
Mrs Cynthia Mamle Morrison, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, would be contested by Mr Samuel Kweku Obodai and Yawson Otoo in Agona West.
In Twifo Atti-Morkwa, Mr Abraham Dwumoh Odoom, the sitting MP, is being challenged by Professor Francis Owusu-Mensah and Mr Ebenezer Obeng Dwamena.
The contest is also heightened in the Hemang Lower Denkyira Constituency as the incumbent, Mr Bright Wireko-Brobby, who doubles as the Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, gets keen competition from Nana Kwame Yamoah Hagan.
Nana Amoako, the MP for Upper Denkyira East, will battle it out with three others; Mr Richmond Nii Duodu, Dr Festus Awuah Kwofie and Charles Afari-Mensah, while Mr Benjamin Kofi Ayeh and Samuel Nsowah Djan test their political strength at Upper Denkyira East.
Mr Ekow Kwansa Hayford, the MP for Mfantseman and Mr James Korsah, an astute businessman have adopted house-to-house campaign to reach out to the delegates as Mr Elvis Morris Donkoh, MP for Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese sits on tenterhooks, facing stiff competition from Mr Eric Kobina Nyanteh.
At Awutu Senya West, Mr George Andah, the MP and Deputy Minister of Communications, will face Mr Joseph Aidoo.
Mr Alexander Kodwo Kom Abban, the Deputy Minister of Communications and MP for Gomoa West, is being contested by Mr Abass Kodwo Acquah.
The primaries would be conducted in strict compliance with the COVID-19 preventive protocols.
Voting, to be supervised by the Electoral Commission, would commence at 0700 hours and end at 1300hrs and counting would be done immediately.
Attempts to vote more than once, buying or selling of votes, compelling a delegate to vote in a particular way and obstructing any person from freely exercising his or her franchise are prohibited.
The Party has advised candidates to campaign on issues and refrain from levelling unsubstantiated allegations, personal attacks and vilifications on their opponents.
