As the countdown to the December 2004 elections continue, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) is leaving nothing to chance in terms of raising funds, mapping out strategies and other legal methods to be returned to power.
On different occasions, leading members of the NPP have openly declared that they are sure of winning at least 170 of the 230 seats on offer.
As at presstime yesterday, June 9, final figures for the amount the NPP would derive from the constituency primaries were not available. However, average analysis indicate that the NPP would ?rake in? at least ?4.1 billion as fees to be paid.
Those contesting the 103 constituencies where the NPP has Members of Parliament, have paid ?11 million each about 23 of the 103 have been declared unopposed but paid their ?11 million, making a total of ?253 million. For the remaining 80 constituencies, with an average of three candidates in each of the 80, this comes up to 240 candidates paying ?11 million each, with an estimated total of ?2.64 billion.
With 230 constituencies now on offer, this implies that there are 127 constituencies without NPP Members of Parliament. Again, with an average of two candidates per each of the 127 constituencies, 254 candidates in total, will earn the NPP ?1.27 billion, (that is paying ?5 million each).
All these estimates add up to ?4.163 billion. Further investigations have revealed that for the newly-created 30 constituencies, an aspiring parliamentary candidate will need at least ?300 million to mount a five-month campaign. This amount could be more, especially if the constituency is in a rural setting with poor roads. The ?300 million is for purchase of vehicles (especially a cross country jeep), bicycles, motorbikes and more importantly, allowances for field party workers.