A total of nine incumbent Members of Parliament (MP) lost their bids to contest the 2020 Parliamentary Election on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Saturday’s primaries.

In what will likely shape much of the narrative for the NDC ahead of the 2020 general election, the party started its crunch parliamentary primaries with 524 aspirants battling it out for spots in 163 constituencies on Saturday August 24, 2019.

It was the first batch of the crucial primaries which was held on Saturday with the date for the second batch yet to be announced.

Many political pundits have maintained that the 2020 polls will be contested largely on track records and fulfilment of campaign promises predominantly by the NPP and the NDC.

Saturday’s event by the NDC took place in all the 16 regions.

The Greater Accra Region had the highest number of 31 constituencies for the first batch.

The rest were Volta Region, 17; Northern, 15; Central, 13; Upper East,13; Eastern, 10; Upper West, 9; Bono East, 9; Bono, 8; Oti, 8; Western, 6; North East, 4; Savannah, 4; Western North, 12; Ashanti, 3, and Ahafo, 1.

There was no elections in 74 constituencies, which will constitute the second batch for the primaries.

Five constituencies had been put on hold pending investigations by the party’s special committee set up to address internal issues.

They are Asawase, Mpohor, Yilo Krobo, Fanteakwa North and Ellembelle.

In all, 578 aspirants filed to contest in all the 275 constituencies out of which 524 were cleared to contest the elections.

Joseph Yieleh Chireh lost the Wa West slot to Peter Lanchene Tuubo, the former Executive Secretary to the immediate past Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr David Asante-Apeatu, who resigned from the Police Service to contest.

PHOTO: Daniel Kwesi Asiamah – lost the Buem slot to Kofi Adams

The incumbent MPs who lost their bids are:

● Emmanuel Nii Okai Laryea [Amasaman constituency]

● Joseph Yieleh Chireh [Wa west constituency]

● Mathias Kwame Ntow [Aowin constituency]

● Amenga-Etogo [Chiana Paga constituency]

● Ras Mubarak [Kumbungu constituency]

● Francis Dakura [Jirapa constituency]

● Kwesi Asiamah [Buem constituency]

● Aziz Abdul Muniru [Akan constituency]

● Eric Osei-Owusu [Afram Plains South constituency]

Writer’s email: [email protected]