The NPP will today June 20 hold its parliamentary primaries in 168 constituencies across the country.
This will allow the delegates to elect candidates for the 2020 general elections. A total number of 374 aspirants are contesting in today's primaries, 67 of them are going unopposed.
Some constituencies to look out for include Adansi Asokwa, Asante Akim North, Asante Akim South, Asante Akim Central, Bantama and Manhyia North, all in the Ashanti Region, as well as Berekum East and Sunyani East, in the Bono Region.
In the Central Region, Asikuma Odoben Brakwa Constituency is the only one on the list, while Akim Oda, Akwatia, New Juaben South and Nkawkaw top the list in the Eastern Region.
Greater Accra Region, Adentan, Dome Kwabenya, Okaikwei South and Tema West are the places to watch. Yendi and Nanton in the Northern Region, Navrongo Central in the Upper East and Lawra in the Upper West Region, are expected to draw intense interest.
The Effia, Ahanta West, Kwesimintsim and Shama constituencies in the Western Region and Bibiani-Ahwiaso-Bekwai in the Western North Region will be centres for a heated contest.
Navrongo Central Constituency is between the Aviation Minister, Mr Joseph Kofi Adda, and the Upper East Regional Minister, Ms Tangoba Abayage.
In the Dome-Kwabenya, Ghana’s High Commissioner to India, comes face to face with the incumbent, Ms Sarah Adwoa Safo, the Deputy Majority Leader and Minister of State in charge of Procurement.
Another constituency to look out for in Greater Accra will be Tema West, where incumbent and Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah, is facing competition from an activist of the party and the Assemblymember for the Sakumono Estate Electoral Area, Mr Kwasi Poku Bosompem; and a worker of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Mr Keku Armquasi-Amuzuah.Â
The Akim Oda and New Juaben South constituencies in the Eastern Region are places to watch.
The position of the incumbent for Akim Oda, Mr William Agyapong Quaittoo, is being threatened by Mr Alexander Akwasi Acquah, with a third aspirant, Mr Richard Asare-Bediako, considered the underdog.
In the New Juaben South, friendly old foes, incumbent Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah and Mr Michael Okyere Baafi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Free Zones Authority.
In the Sunyani East Constituency, Mr Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh comes face to face with his learned colleague, Mr Alfred Tuah Yeboah.
In the Adansi Asokwa Constituency, the incumbent, Mr K. T. Hammond, is being challenged for the first time in 20 years by Samuel Binfoh, a party activist. The two will be battling for the votes of 436 delegates in 27 electoral areas.
For the Bantama Constituency, a Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr Francis Asenso-Boakye, who is having a third shot at the seat, will come against the incumbent, Mr Daniel Okyem Aboagye, for the votes of 686 delegates in 11 electoral areas.
The incumbent Member of Parliament for Manhyia North, Mr Collins Owusu Amankwah, will need to garner as much votes from the 564 delegates in seven electoral areas to beat his challenger, Mr Akwasi Konadu.
In the Asikuma Odoben Brakwa Constituency, the incumbent, Mr Anthony Effah, is being challenged by a presidential staffer, Mr Ernest Kojo Smith; a former District Chief Executive for the area, Mr Emmanuel Adjei Domson, and three other party activists, Messrs Samuel Ofori Ampomah, Bright Essilfie Kumi and Banasco F. Ampong-Ansah, for the votes of 666 delegates in 33 electoral areas.
The Executive Secretary for the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, Dr Prince Hamid Armah, is challenging the incumbent, Mr Joseph Mensah, for the votes of 431 delegates in nine electoral areas.
In the Bibiani-Ahwiaso-Bekwai Constituency, the Western North Regional Minister, Mr Kingsley Aboagye-Gyedu, who is also the incumbent, is being challenged by a former Chief Executive of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST), Mr Alfred Obeng-Boateng, and a former Member of Parliament for the area, Mr Christopher Addae. The three are campaigning for the votes of the 901 delegates in the constituency.