The National Executive Council (NEC) of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has officially announced the list of aspiring candidates eligible to contest in the party’s upcoming parliamentary primaries.
Out of around 400 individuals who obtained forms to participate in the NPP Parliamentary race, 376 underwent the vetting process.
Seventeen aspirants have been disqualified, 326 candidates qualified for the parliamentary primaries, three aspirants withdrew from the race, 29 individuals went unopposed, and one aspirant’s application is currently under court review.
The decision comes after a thorough review of the reports submitted by the National Parliamentary Appeals Committee (NPAC) and the National Parliamentary Vetting Committee (NPVC) regarding the eligibility of aspirants.
During a critical meeting held on Wednesday, January 17, at the Alisa Hotel in Accra, the NEC, along with key party figures including the flagbearer, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Chairman Stephen Ayesu Ntim, former Chairman Freddie Blay, Chief of Staff Frema Osei Opare, and former General Secretary John Boadu, discussed and deliberated on the final list of qualified aspirants.
The NEC stressed that the decision to disqualify or approve candidates for the January 27 parliamentary primaries was made after careful consideration and in-depth discussions based on the reports received from NPVC and NPAC.
The disqualified aspirants are Portia Asante Danso (Afigya Sekyere East seat), Kwabena Addo Amankwah (Manhyia South seat), Arkoh Robert (Upper Denkyira East seat), Nathan Kobina Austin (Assin South seat), Joseph Afankwah (Agona West seat), Frank Aidoo (Akuapem South seat), Emmanuel Adjei Lartey (Okere seat), Dennis Obeng Agyei (Akim Oda seat), Ruth Yaa Ansaa Safori (New Juaben South seat).
The others include, Samuel Owusu Amankwah (Ayawaso West Wuogon seat), Richard Hagan (Okaikwei South seat), Sylvia Opoku-Manu (Ablekuma West seat), Edward Lincoln Addo (Trobu seat), Ahmed Zaruk Nuhu (Bimbilla seat), Alex Avoka Amolbugri (Binduri seat), Alois Kog Kyaakpier Mohl (Nandom seat), Appiah-Kubi Naidoo (Sefwi Akontombra seat).