As at the close of nominations on Tuesday February 20, 2007, three persons had filed nomination papers to contest the New Patriotic Party (NPP) primaries at Nkoranza North constituency. They are Major (Rtd) Derrick Oduro, Mr Effah Baffoe and Mr Prince Ofosu Adjei, General Manager of Tema Oil Refinery (TOR). The primary is scheduled for Friday February 23, 2007, at Busuyah, the constituency capital.

Last Sunday, a high-powered delegation of NPP gurus stormed the constituency to meet polling station agents and interact with party members. The delegation included Nana Ohene Ntow, general secretary, Lord Commey, national organizer and Rita Asobayire, national women’s organizer. The rest were Mr Ignatius Baffuor-Awuah, Brong Ahafo regional minister, Hon Ampofo Twumasi, deputy Minister of Education and Regional Chairman of the NPP, Nana Obiri Boahen.

Mr Lord Commey advised the polling station executives to be vigilant on the day of voting. He charged them to go all out to campaign for anyone who would be chosen to contest on the ticket of NPP so that the party would win convincingly to put the NDC to sleep in the constituency. Hon Ampofo Twumasi was at his oratory best when he took his turn to address the gathering. He said it was for the love of the people of Nkoranza North that Mr Eric Amoateng resigned, since his case had not been decided yet. He appealed to the electorate to honour Amoateng by voting massively for the NPP so that the good work Mr Eric Amoateng had begun could be continued.

Speaking to Daily Guide at Busuyah, the NPP National Organiser said much as the party was sure to win back the seat, the job was to win and win so well that the NDC would have no room to complain. He reiterated the need for party members to intensify their campaign, charging on the foot-soldiers to move from house to house and spread the “gospel according to the NPP.”

In a related development, NDC stalwarts, led by the National Organiser, Mr Ofosu Ampofo, have pitched camp at Nkoranza North to prepare for the bye-election. When Daily Guide visited some towns and villages in the constituency, the bye-election fever was visible as party flags and billboards could be seen everywhere.

Mr Ofosu Ampofo told Daily Guide that even though the seat used to belong to the NPP, his party was leaving no stone unturned in its attempt to win the bye-election. As at the time of filing this report, the NDC had not chosen a candidate yet as consultation continued between the local executives and the national officers of the party.

Mr Ward Brew’s Democratic People’s Party (DPP) was the only party that had chosen a candidate to contest the bye-election. The DPP candidate is a 53-year old Commissioner of Oaths, Mr Osei Bonsu Junior, aka Amoateng Burger.