Preferred Candidates Defeated in U/W, E/R NPP Regional Elections

Sammy Awuku, National Youth Organiser, NPP

There were shocks and surprises at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Upper West and Eastern Regional elections held on Monday to elect new executives to steer the affairs of the party for the next four years and work assiduously to retain power in 2020.

Most of the candidates believed to be the preferred choice of bigwigs of the party lost to their less fancied competitors.

The 238 delegates in the Upper West Region and 644 delegates in the Eastern Region voted massively for candidates other than the chosen ones despite giving them firm assurances.

Despite the rancorous campaign waged by members of two groups prior to the elections, there was an exhibition of camaraderie among both the vanquished and the victors after the declaration of results by the Regional Director of Electoral Commission, Mr. John Bosco.

From WA, CLIFF EKUFUL reports that Mr. S.B Kangbere, who contested for the regional chairmanship slot, polled a total of 134 votes to defeat his closest rival, Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih, who only managed 69 votes.

Aziz Abdul-Rahman, Cletus Aapengnuo and Isaac Halitu polled 140 votes, 77 votes and 107 votes respectively to defeat their closest contenders, Alhassan Suleman, K.O Yengah and Amos Gyetuo who polled 48 and 70 votes to become first Vice Chairman, Second Vice Chairman, Secretary and Assistant Secretary respectively.

The Women Organiser slot was won by Madam Dianah Puopelle, who polled 134 votes while Mustapha Dimah, Luri Tia John Bosco, Daniel Tanko Dawda polled 120 votes, 92 votes, 95 votes and 98 votes to become regional organiser, youth organiser, treasurer and Nasara Coordinator respectively.

Delivering his victory speech, Mr. Kangbere said the election of new executives marks another four years of forward march of the party in the region and this would require the support of all party members irrespective of which group they belonged.

He said the victory was a victory for the NPP as a party and not any individual or group of persons and would ensure that the other contenders became an integral part of his administration.

Mr. Kangbere admitted that the outgone executives had worked hard to make some gains in the region for the party and it would require lots of commitment and tenacity to maintain and improve the fortunes of the party in the region.

Alhaji Rahman Short, immediate past regional chairman of the party, commended members for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner throughout the period of the election.

He said with the elections over, all must come together to work hard to break the National Democratic Congress' monopoly in the region.

They were sworn into office by the Deputy National Organiser of the party, Nuhu Boyorbo Mahama.

Relatedly, NII KORLY COMMODORE-MENSAH reports from Koforidua that there were 644 delegates while thirteen aspirants contested for the four regional executive positions, the First Vice Chairman, the Second Vice Chairman, Women Organiser and Nasara Coordinator.

The rest of the executive positions, the chairman, secretary, regional organiser, youth organiser, treasurer and assistant secretary went unopposed.

For the First Vice Chairman position, the two candidates who contested Alhaji Umar Bodinga polled 402 votes while Michael Adu Oteng polled 220 votes, electing Alhaji Bodinga as First Vice Chairman.

The Second Vice Chairman position was contested by Richard Twum Barima, who polled 472 votes, Seth Otchere garnered 10 votes and James Appietu-Ankrah had 140 votes, electing Mr. Barima second vice chairman.

The Women Organiser position was contested by Fati Vondolie, Mercy Amo Darkoa and Josephine Sampson, who garnered 297 votes, 261votes and 64 votes respectively, electing Madam Vondolie as the women organiser.

Nasara Coordinator position was contested by Hussien Mohammed Fadilu, Alhaji Suraji Osman, Yakubu Mohammed, Kassim Alhassan and Sualihu Mohammed, all polling 241 votes, 87 votes, 83 votes, 102 and 109 votes respectively, electing Hussein Fadilu as the elected Nasara Coordinator.

Kiston Akomeng Kissi, Eastern Regional Chairman of the party, who contested unopposed commended the delegates for their high sense of discipline exhibited before, during and after the election.

He urged them to work hard in their respective constituencies to maintain that spirit of discipline and brotherliness in order to calve a positive image for the party.

John Boadu, Acting General Secretary of the party, appealed to the rank and file not to be complacent due to the victory chalked in the 2016 general election.

According to him, there is much work to be done since the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is working behind the scenes to unseat President Nana Akufo-Addo in 2020 elections.

He advised national, regional and constituency executives to roll up their sleeves and work together to close their ranks so as to help get firsthand information on the ground in order to develop a comprehensive strategy to retain power in 2020.

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