The National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Saturday elected its presidential candidate for the 2020 general election in a peaceful atmosphere after a series of postponements.
It was organised in all the 275 constituencies with a total of 270,000 delegates casting their votes.
Seven candidates including former President John Dramani Mahama vied to lead the party in the polls.
The others are Professor Joshua Alabi, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies, Accra; Alban Bagbin, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, former Minister of Trade and Industry; Sylvester Mensah, former Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority, and businessmen, Augustus Goosie Tanoh and Alhaji Nurudeen Iddrisu.
FROM WA, LYDIA DARLINGTON FORDJOUR reports that, although the NDC primaries favoured the former President Mahama who won the contest with a whopping 213,410 of total votes cast, representing 95.24 per cent, one of his contenders, Alban Bagbin, defeated him in the Nadowli Kaleo Constituency of the Upper West Region, where he is serving as a Member of Parliament.
Mr Bagbin secured a total of 383 votes whilst the former president garnered 367 votes, representing 47.82 and 45.82 per cent respectively. The Regional results however saw Mr Mahama amassing 6,738 of a total of 7,967 votes whilst Mr Bagbin had 705 of the votes. Mr Alabi secured 151 votes whereas the other candidates managed votes below the 104 recorded for rejected ballots.
The voting was generally calm with adequate personnel from the Ghana Police Service monitoring proceedings and also ensuring that law and order was maintained at the voting centers.
FROM PRAMPAM, KEN AFEDZI, reports former President John Dramani Mahama on Saturday garnered 694 valid votes representing about 93 per cent of the valid votes cast.
Mr Bagbin, Alhaji Iddrisu, Sylvester Mensah and Ekow Spio-Garbrah polled 4, 1, 22 and 2 respectively whereas Augustus Goosie Tanoh and Joshua Alabi polled 1 and 16 respectively.
Total valid votes cast was 748 out of 856 registered voters. 7 ballots were rejected while 1 got spoilt.
FROM HO, ALBERTO MARIO NORETTI, reports voting in the NDC presidential primaries in the Ho Central Constituencies, took place smoothly and orderly on Saturday at Ho-Kpodzi.
Many of the delegates turned up at the polling station well before the 7:00am when voting begun.
In all, 1,237 of the registered 1,336 delegates turned up to cast their votes overwhelmingly in favour of John Dramani Mahama.
FROM UPPER EAST, SAMUEL AKAPULE reports the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flag bearer election was conducted peacefully in all the 15 constituencies in the Upper East Region without any problem.
The election which was conducted by the Electoral Commission (EC) at exactly 7am in all the constituencies including the Bolgatanga Central and Bolgatanga East , Bongo, Navrongo Central, China-Paga , Builsa North and South, Bawku Central, Zebilla , Garu, Tempane, Binduri, Pusiga, Talensi and Nabdam constituencies.
Most of the constituencies ended up their voting as early as 2pm while others ended up at 4pm, waiting for the EC to conduct the counting exercise.
In all the 15 constituencies declared by the EC, put the former President John Mahama as the winning candidate with a huge margin.
For instance in the Builsa South ; John Mahama polled 454; A.SK Bagbin 10; Alhaji Nurideen Iddrisu, 0; Sylvester Adinam Mensah, 4; Ekow Spio Garbrah, 5; Goosie Tanoh,1 voteand Joshua Alabi, 11 votes.
The security agencies such as the police and the army were also at the election centres to ensure peaceful.
FROM SEKONDI, CLEMENT ADZEI BOYE reports former President, John Dramani Mahama bagged 20,967 votes out of total of 21,917 votes cast during the NDC presidential primaries held in 26 constituencies in the Western Region on Saturday.
The results, signed by the Western Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, Mr Stephen Opoku -Mensah, showed that, Mr Mahama swept most votes cast by delegates with the highest votes of 1,318 coming from the Prestea- Huni Valley constituency followed by Aowin, where he polled 1,158 votes by delegates.
His main contender, Prof. Joshua Alabi got 318, followed by Dr Spio-Ekwow Garbrah, 157, Mr Bagbin, 149, Goosie Tanoh, 212, Mr Mensah, 79 and Alhaji Iddrisu, 35.
FROM TAMALE, YAKUBU ABDUL-MAJEED reports the National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential primary concluded in a very peaceful atmosphere in the 31 constituencies in the Northern, Savannah and North East regions.
There was no single nasty or horrible incident recorded in all the constituencies in the area.
The over 10,000 delegates in all the constituencies in the area conducted themselves well as they went about the elections in a friendly and peaceful manner.
At the end of polls, former President John Dramani Mahama emerged victorious in 31 constituencies in these regions.
He won with a wide margin in all the centers as he secured about 98 per cent of votes.
Many of the supporters of former President Mahama went wild in jubilation as soon as the results coming from the centers indicated that he had won.
FROM ASHAIMAN, DZIFA TETTEH reports a total 1, 856 people voted in the Ashaiman Constituency for the flag bearer race for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Saturday.
Voting started at 7am at the Celestial School Complex at Ashaiman which was the venue for the voting.
John Mahama polled 1, 787votes while Dr Spio -Garbrah had 3 votes; Goosie Tanoh 47; Sylvester Mensah 16; Professor Joshua Alabi, 2 and Alhaji Nurudeen Iddrisu 3 votes.
According to the District Electoral Officer, Mr Stephen Reynolds the process was peaceful and as at 3: pm a total of 1, 650 people had voted with an expected turn- out of 2076.
He said initially there were two polling stations which had brought some level of pressure so it had to be increased to three.
