A total of 79 aspirants have filed their nominations to contest the upcoming New Patriotic Party (NPP) primaries in 27 constituencies of the Eastern Region.

Five aspirants including; Mr Daniel Botwe Okere, Mr Joseph Tetteh Upper Many Krobo, Mr Bryan Acheampong Abetifi, Mr George Kwame Aboagye Asene Manso Akroso, and Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah Ofoase-Ayirebi were going unopposed in their constituencies respectively.

In a release copied to the GNA and signed by the constituency Secretary, Mr Jeff Konadu, it indicated that the Nkawkaw constituency had the highest number of six aspirants who had filed nominations to contest the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Eric Kwakye Dafuor, who is also the incumbent Member of Parliament.

The contestants included; Mr Kwabena Okerchiri, Mr Seth Baah popularly known as Shaba, Mr David Asante, Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Publishing, Mr Joseph Frimpong and Mrs Joyce Boateng.

Other constituencies with keen competitions included; Atiwa East, Asene Manso Akroso, Lower West Akim, Kade with five aspirants each and Ayensuano, Akwatia, Akim Oda, Abirem, Abuakwa South and Abuakwa North with four aspirants each.

The New Juaben South and North is a replay of the 2016 primaries, where the same aspirants, Mr Mark Assibey-Yeboah incumbent MP and Chairman of the Parliamentary Finance Committee and Mr Michael Okyere Baafi Chief Executive Officer of the Free Zones Board would battle it out for the New Juaben South seat.

Nana Kwasi Adjei-Boateng, the incumbent and Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development would also face Mr Sampson Kwasi Annor for New Juaben North seat.

The constituencies with one female aspirant contesting one or more males include; Akuapem North, where Mrs Nana Ama Dokua Asiamh-Adjei incumbent and Deputy Minister for Information is contesting Mr Philip Addison and Dr William Adjei-Twumasi and Atiwa East, where Mrs Abena Asare incumbent and Deputy Minister for Finance is facing Mr Eric Ofori Agyarko, Mr Kafui Cudjoe Amega, Dr Baning Darko and Mr Adade Owiredu.

At Abuakwa North, Mrs Gifty Twum Ampofo, incumbent and Deputy Minister for Education is battling it out with Nana Serwa Acheampng, Mr Kay Amoah and Mr Kofi Obeng Mensah, while at Abuakwa South, Ms Gloria Ofori Boadu, a lawyer is contesting Mr Samuel Atta-Akyea incumbent and Minister for Works and Housing.

Ms Gifty Klenam a former Member of Parliament for Lower West Akyem and former Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority is battling it out with four men including; the incumbent Mr Charles Acheampong, Mr Kwabena Sintim-Aboagye, a former District Chief Executive, Mr Kwabena Nkansah Asamoah and Mr Kwadwo Odame Antwi.

Ms Mercy Adu-Gyamfi popularly called Ama Sey and incumbent is also being contested by three men including; Mr Bernard Owiredu Donkor, Mr Ernest Kumi and Mr Robert Boateng Ampretwum, while Mr Frank Annor Dompreh incumbent is facing Mr David Adu-Tutu and Ms Afua Kyerewa Nyantakyi for the Nsawam-Adoagyiri seat.

Mr Samuel Aye-paye, incumbent is to battle it out with four including; Ms Adwoa Asiedua, Ms Josephine Awuku Ansaa and Mr Mark Tetteh Reindorf.