Director of Elections for the New Patriotic Party, Mr. Evans Nimako has disclosed that all constituencies scheduled to have their primaries are ready.

According to him, his checks across all the constituencies with the exception of those that have theirs suspended indicates that the constituencies executives have put in enough measures to ensure free and fair elections.

Speaking On Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he indicated that the party has directed all constituency officers to liaise with the electoral commission to ensure a smooth and successful primaries.

He, however, indicated some constituencies where MPs went unopposed have had their acclamation done whilst the rest would be done this Saturday.

"Barring any last-minute instructions from NEC or any court injunctions, we are expecting the primaries to come off as expected," he added.

The elections are expected to be held at 2,407 polling stations

374 Battle for 101 slots

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has released the list of candidates contesting the 2020 primaries in constituencies where the party has sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), slated for Saturday, June 20.

In the 168 such constituencies, 375 aspirants will contest in only 101 constituencies, while 65 candidates will go unopposed.
Three constituencies have also been suspended from the primaries due to certain developments that have cropped up in those areas.

They are Kwadaso in the Ashanti Region, Gushegu in the Northern Region, and Dormaa Central in the Bono Region.
Modalities for the elections

Giving the modalities, the General Secretary of the party, Mr John Boadu said the primaries would be held on an electoral area basis, per the Electoral Commission’s (EC’s) designation.

He, however, said the members of the Constituency Council of Elders, the Constituency Executive Committee, as well as the party’s founding members who were signatories to the registration document of the party at the EC, would all be accredited to vote at the Constituency Secretariat.

Mr Boadu said voting would commence at 7 a.m. and end at 1 p.m., adding that counting would be done immediately after the close of polls at each Electoral Area Polling Centre and the Constituency Secretariat Polling Centre.

Touching on voting offences, he said any attempt to vote more than once at the primaries, buying or selling votes, compelling a delegate to vote in a particular way and obstructing any person from freely exercising his or her right to vote were prohibited.

He added that delegates were also barred from taking pictures of their marked ballot papers or displaying them to make it known to others who they voted for.

Mr Boadu further advised candidates to campaign on issues and refrain from levelling unsubstantiated allegations, personal attacks and vilifications against their opponents.