- As new leaders takeover ruling party vows to win election 2024
A new leadership, has taken over the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) as national executives, completing a four-month process which started with the election of polling station executives and electoral area coordinators in preparation for the 2024 general elections.
While, a serial contender for the National Chairman, Stephen Ayesu Ntim, is finally smiling after 20 long years of trying to occupy the position, John Boadu, who has tasted almost every executive position in the NPP, except the national chairmanship, became the biggest casualty on the day, as he was defeated by an underdog, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Youth Employment Agency, Justin Frimpong Kodua alias JFK, in the General Secretary contest.
Aside from John Boadu, another favourite of the Presidency, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, who contested the National Chairman position was also beaten. While, Mr Ntim got 4,014 votes, Mr Asamoah-Boateng, polled 1,110 votes.
The end of the NPP’s internal contest is not only turning everyone’s attention to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) setting the stage for a reverberating Tsunami in the opposition party whose key leadership has not seen an massive change since its congress held at Koforidua in 2005, and had over the years remained non-performing and less accountable to party supporters.
Many supporters of the NDC, are expecting changes in the leadership of their party, and it is becoming clearer by the day that, the like of Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, whose tenure as the General Secretary has witnessed three National Chairman namely; the late Dr. Kwabena Adjei, Ebenezer Kofi Ofori Portuphy and Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, is not secured in his position.
The Herald has picked reports that, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, is afraid to put up a fight for the General Secretary position against the likes of Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey and Peter Boamah Otokunor, hence wants to climb up and contest for the National Chairman, where the incumbent Ofosu-Ampofo, is also lacing his boot to seek re-election.
Apart from Mr Asiedu Nketiah and Mr Ofosu-Ampofo, it is not clear, if any other member of the NDC, is interested in the contest.
Any third candidate, could have them booted out from the Adabraka Headquarters of the opposition party as incumbency fatigue, has set in against them.
Ahead of last Saturday’s National Delegates Conference at Accra Sports Stadium, Mr Boadu, who started his politics as Constituency Secretary in the Ablekuma South under the tutelage of the late party stalwart Theresa Amereley Tagoe, a former Member of Parliament (MP) of that constituency, was accused of arrogance, property grabbing, greed involvement in illegal mining also known as “galamsey”.
The anger against Mr Boadu was captured in a Facebook post of an NPP activist, Newton-Offei Justice Abeeku,, who took to the social media platform shortly after declaration of the results and wrote; “When God elevates you so you can lift others in life but you choose to abandon this divine duty, surround yourself with block-headed buffoons, ass-licking gossipers and spend all your time, resources and energy being in bed with slay queens, God takes back His blessing and throws you back into a pit latrine.
Another NPP loyalist, Fadi Samih Dabbousi also wrote “Never use your position to buy houses for your concubines in London, Canada, and Cantonment (here in Accra) while the footsoldiers are struggling to survive. All must learn this lesson. Nonsense!
But, despite the anger, many political watchers, did not rate Mr Kodua that high to beat him at the poll based on his experience and the political maneuvers he had done with the polling station, constituency and regional elections, aside the networks he had built over the years.
Mr Boadu, had occupied the positions of Director of Information and Research for the Greater Accra Region and Finance Officer at the NPP head office in 2001. Became National Youth Treasurer from 2002 till 2006, when he was elected the National Youth Organizer of the party.
He was later appointed Deputy Director of Communication from 2011 to 2013, before becoming the National Organizer in 2014 and acted as General Secretary in 2015, when Kwabena Agyapong was suspended.
He later got elected to the same position in 2018, until yesterday when he was beaten at the event which had some 6000 delegates drawn from country voting.
Certified results from the Electoral Commission (EC) showed that JFK polled 2,837 while John Boadu, got 2,524.
But there are claims Mr Boadu’s defeat would have been more embarrassing, if he had not engineered an injunction against the Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON) proxy voters numbering about 291 members.
Peter Mac Manu, who was the chairman of the event, announced that the injunction barring TESCON proxy voters was received last night.
“Our TESCON delegates and local proxy voters numbering 15 and 291, will not be able to cast their votes because there is an injunction. We received the injunction last night,” he said a few minutes before the election.
Others who contested the General Secretary position were; Idrissu Musah, he got 104, Ramseyer Ahmed Agyeman-Prempeh had 8 while Frederick Opare Ansah got 50. Many have said that it is a return of the party to the Ashanti Region as Mr Kodua, a lawyer by profession, had once served as Ashanti Regional Youth Organiser.
Shortly after the result was declared, they were sworn-in as the new national executives to begin a four-year term. The event was organised under the theme, ‘Holding Together, Working Together’, and saw over 40 candidates vie for 10 positions.
The National Women’s Organizer and Nasara coordinator retained their positions, all the eight other slots were filled by fresh candidates of the respective races.
Shortly after the swearing-in yesterday, Sunday, 16th July 2022, Stephen Ntim, who became the new National Chairman, after five attempts pledged to ensure that the governing party retains power come 2024.
He thanked all who made his long-time dream a reality, adding he will do all he can to make the position he has been given enviable.
“We will work together with the party to ensure that the NPP secures victory in the elections,” adding “it has been 20-long years of wandering in the wilderness before clenching this position. I assure you that after 20 years of wandering in the wilderness, I am going to value this position and make sure it becomes a unique and enviable one.”
He has taken over from Freddie Blay, who had served the position since 2015.
The other contenders had the following: George Kwabena Abankwah-Yeboah – 294, Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi – 101, Akwasi Osei-Adjei, Sammy Crabbe – 32, Gifty Asantewa Ayeh (Daavi Ama) – 44.
With the National Women’s Organiser, Ms Kate Gyamfua, retained her position with 620 votes (93.78%) to beat her other contenders, Ellen Ama Daaku and Hajia Sawudata, who had 9 and 32 votes, respectively.
Also, the party’s National Youth Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye (Nana B), who is also from the Ashanti Region, won the National Organiser position having moved from the National Youth Organiser position. He had defeated five other contenders: Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover, Eric Amoako Twum, Bright Essilfie-Kumi, Seth Adu-Adjie and Nana Owusu Fordjuour.
Additionally, the Deputy Director of Operations at the office of the Vice-President, Salam Mohammed Mustapha (SM), won the National Youth Organiser slot. A former Deputy National Youth Organiser, Salam had 255 votes to the other contenders including Abanga Fuseini Yakubu, 153 votes; Prince Kamal Guma, 101; and Michael Osei Boateng, 120 votes.
Danquah Smith Buttey won 1st Vice Chairman, Rita Asobayire became 2nd Vice Chairman, Alhaji Masawuud became 3rd Vice Chairman and Dr Charles Dwamena became the party’s treasurer.
