The Northern Region of Ghana is set to witness one of its fiercest contest for parliamentary seats on the ticket of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) as young CEOs, Deputy Ministers, top state companies’ executives prepare to battle over their parliamentary ambitions, MyNewsGh.com has uncovered.

The eight names who have confirmed interest in various seats in the region include Deputy Minister of Energy Mohammed Amin Anta; COCOBOD’s Deputy Procurement boss Farouk Aliu Mahama, Deputy Chief of Staff Samuel Abu Jinapor; Deputy MASLOC Boss Abibata Shanni Mahama Zakaria, National Petroleum Authority boss Hassan Tampuli; National Service boss Mustapha Ussif. More names include Habib Iddrisu one of the Deputy Directors at the Free Zones Board and Alhassan Yakubu Tali, a Deputy Managing Director of Agricultural Development Bank.

Though the party is yet to officially outdoor its timetable for the parliamentary primaries throughout the country, it has been established that interested parties are working seriously to ensure that they become the favourite of delegates in order to be voted for as parliamentary candidates.

So far, 8 persons including a Deputy Minister of State, a Deputy Chief of Staff and some government appointees are seen fronting in various constituencies to win the support of traditional rulers, opinion leaders as well as party people in a bid to smoothen their path to victory.

Prominent among persons seeking to contest seats in the region include Samuel Abu Jinapor who is the Deputy Chief of Staff and whose elder brother is the former Deputy Minister of Power and Member of Parliament for Yapei-Kusawgu, John Abdulai Jinapor.

It is an open secret that Mr. Jinapor is eyeing the Damongo seat considering the kinds of investments he has committed to the area including donations to identifiable groups, party people and institutions in the last two years.

Our investigations uncovered Mr. Jinapor may face stiffer competition as another candidate who claims to be a ‘homeboy’ has emerged promising to give him a run for his money. It is believed the Junior Jinapor is avoiding the option of having to compete against his elder brother who currently holds the Yapei-Kusawgu seat.

Another area which is of interest is the Karaga Constituency where the Deputy Minister of Energy Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam is lacing his boots to contest as the parliamentary candidate.

The former Tamale mayor has twice contested as parliamentary candidate for Tamale Central Constituency and lost to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) professor Wayo Seini and Alhaji Inusah Fuseini in 2004 and 2008 respectively.