The process of a political party election in Ghana involves picking nomination forms, submission of nomination forms, vetting process, balloting, campaigning, and voting itself. All these processes are done according to a scheduled timetable.
One interesting aspect of the election process is the balloting for positions and how aspirants and their supporters’ interpret the meaning of the positions they obtain.
Ahead of the National Democratic Congress parliamentary primaries, out of the 48 aspirants who had gone through the vetting process, only 1 candidate was disqualified while the remaining 47 were cleared to contest the election on 13th of May, 2023 in all 15 constituencies of the region.
In all, the Talensi constituency has the highest number of candidates, with eight individuals vying to be elected parliamentary candidates. All 8 candidates were vetted and balloted for positions at the party’s regional office at Zuarungu in Bolgatanga East District.
The balloting process is key to determining how various candidates will appear on the ballot paper on the day of the election. Even though the positions are critical for voters to easily identify the candidates on the ballot paper, politicians have always read meaning into the positions they obtained and how those positions would translate into votes in their favour.
Former DCE for the Talensi District, Edward Awunnore, who is contesting the NDC primaries, secured the number one position on the ballot paper. He says the delegates of the NDC in the Talensi constituency have always described him as the best among the eight aspirants to represent them in parliament.
“Number 1 is always number 1, and this alone tells you that it is not only on the grounds that I am number 1, but that has followed me up to the balloting point,” he said.
According to Mr. Awunnore, the number one position goes to confirm him as the best choice of parliamentary candidate of the NDC for the Talensi constituency ahead of the 2024 general election.
“The number 1 is first among any other number. It tells you that, the day of voting and after they have finished voting, when they count, the person who is going to be the first, will be Hon. Edward Awunnore,” he added.
For Dickson Kurug Kpelim-etime, the number-two position that he chose means he would emerge the winner of the contest and partner John Dramani in his second coming to lead Ghanaians as president.
“By the grace of God, I choose a wonderful number, the second coming of John Mahama. He is going to partner with me to bring the needed development to Talenteng. So, I choose number 2”, Mr. Kpelim-etime stated.
Solomon TTB Zinekena, a former constituency secretary of the NDC for Talensi, picked the number 7. He likens the number to a football match. In football, the number 7 jersey is mostly worn by wingers and strikers.
The role of the number 7 player in a football match is to try and score goals and also prevent the opposing team from scoring.
Aside from the fact that the number guarantees him victory, Solomon TTB as he is popularly known, said the 7 position on the ballot box means he is the best person to retain the Talensi seat for the NDC.
“I am number 7, and you know in football the meaning of number 7. I can play as a striker, play lateral defence, play midfield, and all over. That’s the best number, the rest of them are defenders, they cannot strike, they cannot score goals. I can defend for the party, I can play midfield, I can distribute the balls for the party, and I can also score goals for the party. Insha Allah, by the grace of God, it is a very good number that would give me victory on May 13, 2023,” Solomon TTB added
Well, whatever the numbers may mean, on Saturday 13th May 2023, the expected 894 delegates will decide who is the best candidate to lead the NDC in the Talensi constituency to the 2024 general election.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Ghana
