Deputy Upper East Regional Communication Director of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Andrews Atariwini says the party stands a greater chance of increasing its seats to, at least, 4 in the region if it puts its house in order ahead of the 2024 Elections.
Mr. Atariwini asserted that the recent primaries of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have left seated cracks in the party and thus, the NPP could take advantage of the situation to maximise its fortunes in a number of constituencies in the region and eventually, snatch them in next year’s elections.
Some of the constituencies, he believes, the governing party has greater prospects of winning in 2024 aside the Binduri Constituency include the Bongo, Nabdam and Navrongo seats.
“I see Bongo, Nabdam, Binduri and Navrongo are as areas that if NPP works hard we can do something (win). Either than that the others I can tell you that they’re not going to be that easy for us and we need to work extra hard,” he stated in an interview on Bolgatanga-based A1 Radio.
Explaining why the NPP could snatch the Nabdam seat in the next elections, Mr. Atariwini said the NDC’s candidate-elect and MP for the area, Dr. Mark Kurt Nawaane won the primaries against the will of the party’s big guns, leaving his chances shaky as they are unlikely to support his re-election bid.
“If you look at Nabdam, the incumbent MP has won, it was never projected that he could win because the kingpins of the area in Nabdam, the NDC’s political gods were all at variance with him. Dr. Mark is not really loved by his own internal party structures, those who are calling the shots, those who can call a whole electoral area for that area to change to vote the NDC are going to sit back”.
He continued, “(so) there will be some disaffection within the NDC in that constituency. Can the NPP have a consensus candidate? Push all the resources that we can master, let the game change there and I’m telling you that we can easily take that seat”.
For the Bongo seat, he argued that the acrimony that characterised the opposition party’s internal elections presents the NPP with an opportunity to snatch the seat for the first-time.
Mr. Atariwini is also pinning his hopes of the party winning the Navrongo seat on the swing nature of the constituency.
He, however, believe this can only be possible if the NPP builds consensus around decision-making especially the election of candidates and as well, closes its ranks in the various constituencies in time ahead of the polls in 2024.
The NPP currently holds just a single seat out of 15 in the Upper East Region after losing 3 in the 2020 Elections and only managing to win that of Binduri.
In its bid to clinch another victory in the upcoming General Elections, it will be determined to increase its seats in Parliament and the Upper East Region is a target.
