A couple of days after the New Patriotic Party opened nominations for interested candidates to contest its parliamentary primaries, tension has already begun building up in some constituencies. Unresolved litigations from the 2008 elections and some party followers who broke ranks to contest as independent candidates and won are some of the immediate reference points. In the Ashanti region; Obuasi, Asokwa and Bekwai constituencies have come under scrutiny; while in the Eastern region, political scientists have identified, Suhum, Abuakwa North and Nkawkaw as grey areas. In Accra, the situation has been described by political scientists as more critical to the fortunes of the New Patriotic Party. The NPP has acknowledged that there are issues to be resolved in Accra, following accusations some regional executives are supporting some candidates. Adom News spoke to some of the parliamentary hopefuls. The incumbent Member of Parliament for Bekwai who won his seat as an independent candidate, Joe Osei Owusu disclosed that he would contest on the ticket of NPP if given the chance. Affectionately called “Joe Wise” by his admirers, Mr. Osei Owusu told Adom News that though he has been taking active part in all activities of the party since he entered parliament, he can only contest on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party when the party executives give him the nod to do so. He told Adom News that he has been assisting the party executives at the constituency, district, regional and national levels but the leadership of the party would have to approve of his candidature in the name of the party. Nkwawkaw MP Seth Agyei Baah was undecided yet. He said discussions were ongoing but admitted that there was tension in his constituency. Also known as “Shaba”, Mr. Agyei Baah conceded that there had been an impasse between him and the constituency executives in his area but added that, the national executives of the party were stepping up measures to resolve it. Elsewhere at Suhum, people are skeptical about the political future of the constituency. The Member of Parliament for the area, Godfred Opare Ansah was definite that he would win the primaries. He described his chances as very bright, counting on the mutual relationship between him and the electorates. Mr. Opare Ansah accused some elements in the party of fomenting trouble and giving the constituency a a bad image. He explained that he contested his predecessor, Mr. Ransford Agyapong, in the 2004 parliamentary primaries and went ahead to contest the current Eastern Region Chairman for the ruling National Democratic Congress who is now the Chief Executive Officer for the Ghana Tourists Board, Julius Debrah, without any tensions emanating from the elections. Mr. Opare Ansah said he was puzzled that there was so much tension in the 2008 parliamentary primaries which he contested with Brian Acheampong and whom he beat with just a single vote. He has therefore called on the party’s executives to iron out the rough edges to reduce the tension that was gradually creeping into this year’s primaries. Story: Kwaku Adu Kumi/Adom News