Robert Kutin -Central Region, Divine Otoo Agorhom-Greater Accra, Daniel Bugri Nabu -Northern Region
Thousands of delegates of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) are expected to select regional officers to steer the affairs of the party in the next four years.
The positions up for grabs include chairman, 1st and 2nd vice chairman, organiser, secretary, assistant secretary, women’s organiser, youth organiser, treasurer and Nasara coordinator.
Unfortunately, delegates in the Volta Region will not take part in the contest because of a last-minute court injunction on the exercise.
A former regional secretary of the party, George Kofi Boateng, who was disqualified during the vetting, secured the injunction after he filed an ex-parte application.
Also, the delegates’ congress in the Northern Region has been postponed until next weekend to allow those constituencies that have not been able to select their executives due to circumstances beyond the control of the party to do so.
Acting Chairman
Ahead of the crucial nationwide primaries over the weekend, acting NPP National Chairman Freddie W. Blay has asked the party’s rank and file, particularly the candidates, to comport themselves to ensure a successful process.
He said the campaigns went on smoothly and the leadership of the party expects everybody to consider himself/herself as belonging to the same political grouping.
“We should be careful not to antagonize each other. We should be moderate in our celebrations if things go our way,” he advised.
Greater Accra
In the Greater Accra Region, about 56 members are said to be vying for positions but the main action appears to be in the race for chairman and women’s organiser.
Three bigwigs — Alfred Boye, Divine Agorhom Otoo, a former regional vice chairman and Archibald Cobinnah, the Greater Accra Regional National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) Director, who was the organizer, are vying to become chairman respectively, while five strong members are contesting for women’s organiser.
Names like Grace Acheampong, aka Ogre, an aide to the chief of staff, Humu Dilley Saeed, Leticia Naa Torshie Torto, Roseline Danquah and Vida Owusu will be on the ballot.
The 1st vice chairmanship position is also being contested by Nana Yaw Gyapong, John Sewu and Thomas Adondo Abotibala, Emmanuel Arhin, Nii Adjei Tawia, Samuel Martey and Philip Nii Adjei Assafuah.
Joana Frances Adda, Charles Taylor Quarshie, Rexford Agyei Frimpong, Michael Kofi Mackenzie and Nana Owusu Fordjour are in the race for the 2nd vice chairmanship position.
The regional secretary position is being contested by Sabo Adams, Nii Odarlai Parker and Solomon Asante.
Daniel Odei-Appiah, Solomon Nyarko, Anthony Dabie Fordjour and Joseph Ofosu Siaw, Emmanuel Chapman Kodak, Asare Benjamin Kwaku, Baba Seidu Issaka and Ransford George Mensah, are also in race for the position of assistant secretary.
The incumbent youth organizer Prince Obeng has decided to move up to become the organizer, and he is facing competition from Francis Ebo Mensah, aka Uncle Ebo, Nathaniel Tetteh Bossah, aka Ashanti Hene and Ibrahim Tetteh aka Finidi.
The youth organizer contest is between Philip Doe, Kwasi Obeng-Fosu, aka Baba Tauffic, Moses Abor, Boamah Osei Gideon and Prince Kissi Yeboah.
For treasurer; Mordecai Quashie, Safura Saeed and Francisca Anyorkor Boateng Amponsem, Rachel Tutu, Hajia Moda Zinabu Issaka and John Manuh are battling it out.
Tahiru Hashim, Prince Aminu Saana, Hajj Ahmed Suraju, Abdul Aziz Yahaya, Alhaji Kamil Hussain, Yussif Salisu, Umar Sani and Alhaji Adams Daud are battling it out for Nasara coordinator position.
From the Western Region, Emmanuel Opoku reports that 43 people are contesting the 10 positions, and regional delegates’ conference would take place at the main auditorium of the University of Mines & Technology in Tarkwa.
Four members of the party, including the acting regional chairman Francis Ndede Siah, are contesting for the regional chairmanship position.
The rest are Benjamin Armah, a former District Chief Executive (DCE), Nana Owusu Ankomah, a former regional chairman of the party and Frank Etti, a former Takoradi constituency chairman of the NPP.
Five persons, namely Alberto Takyi – a former DCE, Nana Kumi Ansah, James Obeng Jnr, former chairman at Essikado-Ketan, Abdul Mumin Issah and Mohammed Ben Ali aka Seaman are vying for the first vice chairmanship position.
With regard to the position of 2nd vice; Kojo Yiadom Boakye, Gabriel Gyasi, Abena Kwallah, a former regional women’s organizer, Ishmael Whajah, Samuel Otoo and Charles Cobbinah alias ‘Kempes’ are slugging it out.
For the position of regional secretary, three persons, including the incumbent Charles O. C. Bissue, a presidential staffer; Okatakyie Amankwaa Afrifa,- current NPP regional communications officer and Emmanuel Acqaah, a former communications officer, are going into what looks like an exciting contest.
Three others, namely Ken Woode, Samuel Adu Adjei and Samuel Kofi Abiaw, are vying for the position of assistant secretary.
The regional women’s organizer is being contested keenly between Golly Antwi Bosiako, the incumbent, Juliana Aidoo and Agnes Naana Amoah, a former acting women’s organizer, while for the position of regional organizer, the incumbent, Abdul Ganiyu Mohammed alongside Yaw Amoabeng Acheampong, Kwame Kintoh and Kojo Acquah are tussling for the slot.
Spy Akufur, Nana Adjoa Appiah, Esther Nyantakyi and Horma Akasi Mienzah also picked forms to contest the position of regional party treasurer, while the regional youth organizer slot is a fight among Benjamin Paa Kwesi Moses, Ishmael Bravo, Osagyefo Kwaw Attiah and Benedict Addae.
Six members, including Alhaji Ridwan Ishaq, Onasis Aminu Abubakar, Alhaji Adam Harun Ahmed, Alhassan Abdul Raman Al-Labib Shaman, Sidi Ibrahim-Ahmed, are vying for regional Nassara coordinator.
The head of the Regional Elections Committee of the party is Hajia Sawdatu Saeed, the current acting national women’s organizer.
From the NPP’s ‘World Bank’ in the Ashanti Region, I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., & Ernest Kofi Adu report that an exciting contest is on the cards.
With the exception of the chairmanship position where the incumbent Bernard Antwi Boasiako, aka ‘Wontumi’ is going unopposed, all the other positions are being keenly contested.
The event is scheduled to come off at Ejura, where 38 candidates are contesting for various positions.
Incumbent regional secretary Samuel Pyne has a challenger in the person of Kwaku Atta Sarpong, while three candidates – Daniel Boateng, Francis Adomako and Riches Oscar, are in the race for the organizer position.
The first vice chairman position is being contested by Patrick Acheampong, Kwabena Nsenkyire, Henry Osei Kwabena, Mohammed Bashir Tujani and Ibrahim, with Frank Bona Aboagye, Mary Gambrah, Sam Kofi Cudjoe, Akwasi Acheampong and Baffour Kwadwo Asiedu battling it out for the second vice chairmanship position.
Five others, Kwame Adom Appiah, Raymond Oppong Boateng, Moro Kabore, Frank Antwi Boasiako Frank and Daniel Donkor also want to become the assistant secretary.
Nana Ama Ampomaa, the incumbent women’s organizer, will lock horns with Beatrice Owusu for the slot, while Kwaku Frimpong is taking on Nelson Owusu, Dennis Kwakwa, Ohemeng Ian Moore, Raphael Patrick Sarfo and Michael Ofori Akuoko in the race for the youth organizer position.
The regional treasurer position is a straight fight between Hajia Zainab and Hagar Asante, while the Nasara coordinator position is being contested by six activists, including Mohammed Abdul Hamid, Alhaji Hallaru Kumasi, Couch Khamid Suleman, Iddrisu Abdul Kadir, Zakariya Osman, Fawaz Abdul Ganiyu and Saalim Mansuru Bamba.
Reporting from Koforidua in the Eastern Region, Daniel Bampoe filed that about 628 delegates from 33 constituencies in the Eastern Region will cast their ballot for 21 candidates seeking to be elected as the next regional executives.
The delegates’ conference will be held at the All Nation University campus in the New Juaben South Constituency in regional capital.
Incumbent regional chairman Kiston Akomeng Kissi, incumbent regional youth organizer Jerry Osei-Opoku, incumbent treasurer Ben Kumi, incumbent assistant secretary Yaw Palin, incumbent organizer Kwame Appiah Kodua, as well as Jeff Konadu Addo are all going unopposed.
However, with the first regional vice chairmanship position, the incumbent Alhaji Umar Bodinga is being challenged by Michael Oteng Adu, former New Juaben South NPP constituency chairman, while for 2nd vice chairmanahip position three aspirants- Richard Twum Barimah, Seth Otchere and James Appietu-Ankrah are slugging it out.
The incumbent deputy regional women organizer Fati Vondolie, who wants to become the substantive women’s organizer, is being challenged by Mercy Amo Darkoah, aka Obour and Josephine Sampson aka Iron Lady, former New Juaben South NPP women’s organizer.
Four aspirants – Hussien Mohammed Fadilu, Alhaji Suraju Osman, Yakubu Mohammed, Kassim Alhassan and Sualihu Mohammed Sualihu, alias SMS, are also contesting for the Nasara coordinator position.
Ebo Bruce-Quansah reports from Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region that the incumbent Mohammed Mutaka Ibrahim, Alhaji Abdallah Otito Achuliwor, a retired accountant, Anthony Namoo, a private legal practitioner and Filson Awankua, an engineer, as well as Joseph Agongo are battling it out.
The regional organizer position is being contested by the incumbent, who doubles as coordinator of NADMO, Jerry Asamani; Alhaji Issifu Mumuni, Charles Ndanbon Taleog, Agana Bawa Rashid, former regional organizer, Yaw Mort and Abasana Gregory.
The first vice chairmanship position is being contested by incumbent Osman M. Konkonaba, Anaba Isaac Hakeem, Alhaji Abubari S. Jamal, Moses K. Atinga, Jonathan Jambudu, Isaac Atasigi and Imoro Malik, while for the second vice chairmanship position, Richard W. Alogitega, Bugri A. Ibrahim, Diana Aburiya Asuure, Paul K. Yin and Ahmed Shaibu Dabire are in the race.
Nsor-Atindana Emmanuel, Roland Minyila, Abdul Karim Amandi, Amadu Mogtar Bagya, Cletus Anabire Innocent and Assam Passim Samuel all want to be NPP regional secretary.
The assistant secretary position is being contested by Elvis Figo Atia Awonekai, Atamgibe Shakiru and Akamah Richard, while the treasurer position has Edmund Bombande, Mboda Osman Karnamah, Daniel N. Ayine, Edmund Bombande and Joseph Awinpanga Akanfaba contesting.
For the women’s organizer position, Margaret Akagwire, Janet Asumda, Ayamba Georgina, Florence Kurubila, Augustina Atanga and Faustina Agetara are contesting for the slot.
Latif Solomon is being challenged by Abubakari Atosaana Ayuba, Andrew Atariwini, Atiru Samuel Amangbedam, Abdul Rahman Fatawu or Lukman Abubakar Sorogho for the youth organizer position.
The Nasara coordinator is being contested by the incumbent Alhaji Mohammed Siitah Abubakari, Baba Kamara, Salley Musah Delwinde, Ustaz Seidu Abass, Alhaji Mohammed Siitah Abubakari and Ambali Awudu.