John Akologo Tia and Moses Asaga
The Longest serving Parliamentarian in the Upper East Region, representing the Talensi Constituency, John Akologo Tia, has been kicked off the Talensi seat, just as expected and predicted by residents in the constituency, ahead of the polls.
Residents of the Nabdam Constituency also rejected Moses Asaga, Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, despite calls on his constituents to vote massively for him and the President, as compensation for the creation of the new Nabdam district by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.
Apart from John Akologo Tia who stayed in Parliament for 20 years and Moses Asaga who also stayed for 16 years, the incumbent Member of Parliament for Navrongo Central and former Minister of Energy under the erstwhile NPP government, Joseph Kofi Adda, also lost the seat to the Upper East Regional Minister, Mark Owen Woyongo, who contested for the seat and lost in 2008.
Another New Patriotic Party (NPP) hopeful, Stephen Yakubu, member of Parliament for Binduri Constituency, lost to a Senior High School Tutor, Ben Noah Azure, to the surprise of many who had tipped Stephen Yakubu as the best choice for the area.
Sitting Member of Parliament for China-Paga, Leo Kaba, lost to former Deputy Minister of Sports and the current National Coordinator of the then National Youth Employment Programme, Abuga Pele.
In all, the NDC lost two of its important seats, being Nabdam and Talensi Constituencies and won 12 seats being Bolgatanga Central, Bolgatanga East, Builsa North, Pusiga, Garu, Tempane Binduri, Navrongo Central, Zebilla, Chiana-Paga, Bawku Central and Bongo districts.
NPP Candidate, Boniface Gambila Adagbila, who has been contesting and losing since 1996, was fortunate to win the Nabdam constituency seat from Moses Asaga.
Robert Nachinab Doaneng won the Talensi Constituency, thereby bringing the number of NPP?s seats in the Upper East to two.
During the 2008 Elections the NPP won four seats, being Navrongo Central, Binduri, Bawku Central and Chiana-Paga constituencies, out of the then 13 constituencies, but in 2012, the NPP has lost all the four seats and won the Nabdam and Talensi Constituencies.
Deputy Minister of Education, Mahama Ayariga, polled 24,071 votes to beat Alhassah Haruna who polled 19,082 votes.
Ben Noah of the NDC had 15,088 votes to beat the incumbent, Member of Parliament, Stephen Yakubu, who polled 7,543 votes.
The Member of Parliament, for Builsa South and Minister of State at the Office of the President, Alhassan Azong polled 6,048 votes to retain the seat, probably to compensate him for his support to the youth and communities within the constituency.
Almost all the constituencies in the Upper East did not count nor declare results because some Polling Stations there could not cast their votes even as late as 8:30 p.m. on the Election Day due to long queues and inability of the Biometric Verification Device.
From: Ebo Bruce-Quansah, Bolgatanga
