After days of uncertainty and tense moments, delegates of the main opposition political party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are voting today to elect a flag bearer and parliamentary candidates for the 2024 general election.
Our correspondents are monitoring the elections from various polling stations across the country.
Ningo
From Ningo, Benjamin Xornam Glover reports that voting is underway at the New Ningo Basic B Primary School park in the Ningo-Prampram Constituency, where two aspirants are contesting the ticket to represent the NDC in Parliament.
The race for the seat is a two-horse race between the incumbent Samuel Nartey George, and Micheal Kwetey Tetteh.
In all 1,714 delegates from 197 branches are expected to vote in the exercise
Voting started an hour late due to logistical arrangements.
Over 80 police personnel have been deployed to keep law and order.
The incumbent MP, Sam George was optimistic of his chances in the polls.
Ho
From Ho in the Volta Region, Alberto Mario Noretti reports that voting started at OLA SHS in Ho at 10:32 am.
In all, 2270 delegates are expected to take part in the voting which is expected to end by 4pm.
Meanwhile, vehicles and humans are competing for space at the entrance of the venue.
From Wa, Emmanuel Modey reports that voting started at 9 am.
For the Presidential, there are 1,855 ballot papers made available and 2,000 for the Parliamentary elections. There are a total of 1,837 delegates for the elections.
Security is tight and only those who are with accreditation cards are allowed to enter, no drumming or noise is also permitted to ensure that there is discipline around the voting centre which is at Wa Technical Institute.
According to the Director of the Electoral Commission, Ben Alaglo, in a bid to ease the elections process there are two election centres both manned by EC staff.
Mr Alaglo said that elections shall end at 4 pm after which the ballots will be counted and only the results of the Parliamentary will be declared at the centre.
He said that the Presidential result will be announced and forwarded to Accra to be added to the national results and declared by the Returning Officer.
Talensi
From the Talensi Constituency, which is one of the hotspots in the Upper East Region, Gilbert Mawuli Agbey reports that voting was yet to commence as of 10:30am.
Constituency executives were setting up the place for voting to commence at the Tongo Junior High School.
A total of eight aspirants, the highest in the entire region, are contesting in the primary in the constituency.
Delegates were already at the venue as of 10:30am and were waiting patiently to take part in the election.
Some of the delegates urged the party leadership to fast-track the process to prevent the voting from running into the night.
Chiana-Paga
Also, in the Chiana-Paga constituency, information gathered indicated that voting was also yet to commence as of 10:30am as officials of the Electoral Commission were yet to arrive at the Sirigu Catholic Social Centre where the election was being held.
However, checks in other constituencies in the Upper East Region indicated that voting was underway.
A.BA Fuseini faces fierce contest from four others
Mohammed Fugu reports from the Sagnarigu constituency in the Northern Region, which is one of the hotspots that, the incumbent Member of Parliament, A.B.A Fuseini is facing a fierce contest by four other contenders.
They are Attah Issah, an accountant at the NDC headquarters, Abdul Majeed Alhassan, Yakubu Ahmed and Dr Hamza Bukari Zakaria.
Even before the election, tension has been brewing in the constituency with the various aspirants criss-crossing each other in their campaign activities.
Since the inception of the constituency in 2012, A.B.A Fuseini has been the MP for the area.
However, he is facing stiff competition from the other contenders who are said to be staunch members and financiers of the party.
As of 9:40 am, voting was about to the start at the West African Examination Council (WEAC) hall, centre for the Sagnarigu constituency elections.
About 1,329 delegates including branch, constituency executives and past executives are expected to cast their votes.
Checks by Graphic Online indicated that voting was about to start in other constituencies across the Northern Region.
Officials of the Electoral Commission (EC) in the region said all electoral materials have been dispatched to the various constituencies to ensure smooth elections.
more to follow…
