Ghana ruling party runs presidential and parliamentary primaries

Registered members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) of Ghana are voting, Saturday for their choice of presidential and parliamentary candidates ahead of the 2016 general election.

While only President John Dramani Mahama is contesting for the presidential slot, there are hundreds of people seeking to represent the party at the parliamentary level in the 275 constituencies.

Notwithstanding that, Mahama needs at least more than 50 percent of the voters in Saturday's polls to qualify to lead the party for a second time.

Out of the 275 constituencies however, six would not be voting for parliamentary candidates due to court cases against the elections in those places, while in three of those constituencies too, the entire exercise has been put on hold.

There are two million registered voters on the ruling party's register who are expected to vote in the primaries, as the party extended its electoral college from the previous 4,000.

It stands to be about the largest electoral college in Africa, experts have said.

At a press conference on Friday, the police authorities said they consider this election a prelude to the 2016 general elections, and would deploy men in a warm-up manner to provide security and ensure a peaceful poll. Endit