The Chairman of the Savannah Regional vetting committee of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ambassador Moses Bukari Mabengba, has said there were several deliberations prior to the vetting process to ensure the right qualified persons were chosen to lead the party in all constituencies in the region.
Ambassador Mabengba speaking to the media at Damongo after the vetting mentioned that party loyalty and commitment were some of the cardinal points that were considered in the process.
He indicated that the NDC is very much interested in candidates who will remain in the constituency after the primaries and fight for the seats instead of travelling outside the country and giving opportunities to the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidates.
Ambassador Mabengba noted that the NDC as a party has become very attractive because of the poor and abysmal performance of the NPP which witnessed many people rushing to contest in the primaries to lead the party.
He however bemoaned the limited number of women in the region going into the contest as it is only the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for the Salaga South constituency Hajia Ibrahima Zuwera who is still contesting without more of her female folks joining the contest in the region.
He used the opportunity to appeal to women in the Savanna Region to rally behind the party since other avenues such as appointments are in the pipeline for them when the party takes over the realm of affairs of the country.
Ambassador Mabengba said the Functional Executive Committee (FEC) of the NDC has been tasked to look into the issue and advise the vetting committee appropriately in dealing with the matter.
Meanwhile, apart from the Yapei-Kusawgu constituency that has the incumbent MP Hon John Abdulai Jinapor as the sole candidate, all the remaining six constituencies in the Savannah Region have other candidates filing for the primaries slated for Saturday, 13 May, 2023.
Those that were vetted from the Bole-Bamboi constituency are the incumbent MP Hon Alhaji Yussif Sulemana, Mr Mahama Amantana Yahaya and Mr Richard Abdulai Kaara.
Those from the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba constituency those that were vetted include the incumbent MP Hon Andrew Dari Chiwitey, Mr Chorchitey Mathew, Mr Nuhu Seidu and Mr Ernest Yengbalang Botah.
From the Damongo Constituency those that were vetted are former MP for the Constituency Hon Adam Mutawakilu and Mr Korkortiakor Baba Sadique Zankawah.
From the Daboya- Mankarigu Constituency those that were vetted are the former MP Hon. Mahama Shaihu Obei and Mr Iddrisu Mohammed and
In the Salaga North Constituency those that were vetted are the former MP Mr Alhaji Alhassan Mumuni and Mr Dawuni Peter.
Only the Salaga South Constituency NDC Parliamentary Candidate vetting ended with disqualification.
The incumbent MP Hon. Hajia Zuwera Ibrahimah and Alhaji Saaka Ahmed Shuaib emerged as the two candidates on the ballot, while Mr Mahama Aswad was disqualified.
The disqualification of Aswad was a result of a petition that alleged that he is not known in the constituency and has never been a voter in the constituency. The petition was reviewed by the NDC Regional Executive Committee, which found merit in the allegations and disqualified him from the contest.
Source: nkilgifmonline.com/Zion Abdul-Rauf