Three out of the 74 National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary aspirants in the Northern Region who were vetted by a national team at the weekend were disqualified. They are Messrs Ibrahim Tanko for Mion; Ibrahim Iddrisu for Yapei Kusawgu and Thomas Lonman for Bunkpurugu- Yunyoo. Briefing the Daily Graphic in Tamale, the Regional Treasurer and Director of Elections of the party, Mr Rashid Tanko alias Computer, explained that the Mion aspirant, Mr Tanko, could not go through the process because he gave contradictory statements about his educational status. Mr Computer further intimated that the Mion aspirant could also not produce certificates to authenticate his educational background and there were doubts about his membership of the party. In the case of Mr Iddrisu, he got 104 branches instead of the required 119 branches of the NDC to endorse his nomination forms. The Regional Treasurer further indicated that Mr Lonman for his part, failed to write officially to the party to announce his rejoining the party. It was also discovered that the aspirant stood as an independent candidate in the year 2008 and since then, he had not officially informed the party of rejoining it again. When contacted, the Mion aspirant, Mr Tanko, described the reasons given for his disqualification as baseless. Mr Tanko said members of his constituency were unhappy with the disqualification and in due course, they would organise a press conference to register their displeasure. He described the vetting team as not being honest about his loyalty to the NDC. He said his next line of action was to stand as an independent candidate for the Mion Constituency adding that “I know my people would vote for me as they have vowed not to vote for the NDC”. The National Organiser of the NDC, Mr Yaw Gyan, led a four-member team from the National Executive Committee of the party to supervise the two-day exercise. Four constituencies are running unopposed candidates and they are: Chereponi, Saboba, Yagaba Kubore and Tamale South. Three of the 74 aspirants are women. They are: Madam Iddrisu Najihatu, a teacher for Tamale Central; Hajia Mary Boforo, the sitting MP for Savelugu and Hajia Azara Mahamadu, a Social Worker at Tolon. The exercise was described by the aspirants and their supporters as peaceful.