Akyem Tafo, April 28, GNA - Dr Samuel Yaw Annor, Eastern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has assured that, the region had prepared adequately for Saturday's primaries of the Party. He said printing of ballot papers and other logistics for the smooth running of the exercise were in the safe hands of the Electoral Commission (EC) and that there should be no cause for alarm. The NPP goes to the polls on Saturday April 30 to elect Parliamentary candidates to represent the party in the 2012 general elections at the various constituencies.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency at Tafo, on Wednesday, Dr Annor said 62 people filed nominations to contest the primaries in 27 constituencies.

He said the Primaries for Nkawkaw constituency would be held at a later date yet to be decided by the National Executive Committee. Dr Annor said the regional executive would ensure that the exercise was conducted in such a way that whoever loses would accept defeat in good faith.

The regional chairman said because the exercise was taking place throughout the region, the regional executive and some former executive of the party would be assigned to each of the constituencies to monitor the elections.

He said nobody was disqualified during the vetting and that as at Wednesday, April 27, nobody had announced his or her resignation from the race, meaning that all the 62 people who filed were contesting. Dr Annor commended all the aspirants for the mature manner they had conducted their campaign so far, devoid of insults, acrimony and unnecessary allegations and counter allegations, which characterized the 2008 parliamentary primaries of the party.

He said presently, the only trouble spots were Suhum and New Abirem constituencies, where supporters of the various aspirants were engaging in confrontations but they had managed to bring the situation under control.

Dr Annor was of the view that if the party was able to conduct this exercise successfully it would mark another political milestone in the history of the party and Ghana as a whole. 28 April 11