Damongo (N/R), – Mr Henry Okyne, Northern regional director of the Electoral Commission (EC), has said that the June 10 district assembly bye-elections are as important as any other elections in the country. He, therefore, called on polling assistants to approach the election with all seriousness and not to repeat the mistakes in past elections. Mr Okyne was addressing the first in a series of workshops yesterday for polling assistants for the bye-elections at Damongo. He said the EC has taken adequate measures including the provision of logistics to ensure successful elections. Platforms have been mounted for all the candidates to campaign. Mr Okyne said 17 candidates are contesting the eight vacancies in five districts in the region. Mr Henry Okyne said in the Tamale district, four persons: Mr Stephen Zakaria, Mr Bugli Herman and Napari Peter, all teachers and Mr Abubnakar Sadiq, carpenter, are contesting the Gurugu electional area seat, whilst Mr Basahr Daballi, a teacher and Masahudu Mahamadu, a civil servant, are contesting the Salamba electoral area. At Kadia in the Savelugu/Nanton district, Mr Abdallah Sulemana, unemployed, Mr Stephen Norvitse, a fisherman and Abubakar Yahaya, a farmer, are contesting the elections. In the west Gonja district, Mr Frank Nyadia, a teacher and Mr Natogmah Abass, a civil servant are vying for the Zongo Langbanto seat, whilst Mr Emos Iddisah, a civil servant, is the only candidate for Larigbani electoral area. At Nasia in the west Mamprusi district, Mr Joseph Habibu, unemployed, and Mr Amos Dukpazah are contesting. At Loloto in the East Gonja district, Badu Daniel, a farmer and Francis Kpodo, a fisherman are contesting while Mr Amadu Baanam, a farmer is the only candidate for Gbankurugu electoral area in the East Mamaprusi district.
