Ernest Yaw Brogya Genfi, has for the second time been defeated in his quest to lead the youth wing of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) by obtaining 503 votes against 533 votes by the incumbent George Opare Addo alias “Pablo” at last Saturday congress in Cape Coast in the Central Region.
In the National Women’s Organizer contest, the incumbent, Dr Hanna Louisa Bissiw, beat her challenger, Margaret Ansei Magoo, a former Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Suhum, by obtaining 433 votes to 362 respectively.
Over 1,800 delegates of the NDC, gathered at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), to elect candidates for the National Youth Organiser, Deputy Youth Organiser, Women’s and Deputy Women’s Organiser positions of the party.
Ahead of the contest, which took place at the Cape Coast University campus, Pablo, was bastardized with the allegation that he was being sponsored by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and was a mole in the NDC.
Indeed, the party’s National Communications Director, Sammy Gyamfi, openly took sides against him and supported Mr Gyenfi holding press conferences and campaigning for him to the surprise of many.
Pablo, had also been branded anti-John Mahama and claimed to be a supporter of Dr Kwabena Duffour, Mr Mahama’s challenger in the upcoming NDC flagbearer contest sometime next year.
But at the end of the acrimonious contest, Pablo defeated Brogya, who midway in the contest, had to deal with viral pictures of a V8 Toyota Land cruiser vehicle in his custody which has been traced to Anthony Abayifa Karbo, a former National Youth Organizer of the NPP and onetime Deputy Minister of Road Transport in the Akufo-Addo government.
The vehicle, registered GR 8252-17, belonged to Mr Karbo for some time until last year, when according to him, had sent it back to the dealer for swap.
He told The Herald in a brief interaction by phone that he could not find where Mr Brogya got access to the car, but suspected he might have rented it or bought it from the dealer.
Interestingly, both Brogya Genfi and Pablo, accused each other of sharing money with the delegates.
For the Deputy National Women’s Organizer slot, Abigail Elorm Mensah, got 348 to defeat Felicia Dzifa Tegah. Who got 260 votes.
The Deputy National Youth Organizer position was won by Osman Abdulai Ayariga with 373 votes, while Ruth Dela Seddor, got 313.
Reports from the contest are that two persons allegedly sustained gunshot wounds at the congress, but names were not given and no details emerged that they were rushed to hospital.
Osman Abdulai Ayariga, Ruth Dela Seddoh, Bright Nudokpo Honu, Sulemana Abdul Karim and Mohammed Abubakari Sadiq Gombilla, contested for the National Deputy Youth Organiser position.
The rest are; Kabiru Ahmed, Eric Dadson, Pendilock Owusu Asare, Obed Opintan and Jude Sekley.
The Women Organiser position was a straight fight between Dr Hanna Louisa Bisiw and Margaret Ansei.
While, aspirants for the Deputy Women Organiser were; Abigail Akwabea Elorm Mensah, Felicia Dzifa Tegah, Jessie Adams and Hajia Alijata Sulemana.
The NDC will on December 17 elect its national officers.
At one point during the contest, all persons in the auditorium were driven out, following confusion over the album for the Conference, stalling the process for hours.
Chairman of the party’s elections committee, Alex Segbefia, asked all to walk out of the auditorium after a crunch meeting with the two candidates for the National Youth Organiser position.
“There are too many people in this hall who are not delegates,” he announced in the public address system provided.
“Therefore, we are going to ask everybody to leave the hall. Everybody will be asked to leave the hall while we put in place the ballot boxes. . .”
He justified the expansion of the electoral college of the party, stating that it was to make vote buying unattractive.
“We are actually quite happy, because it is clear that the NDC is alive and well and everybody wants to be part of the new government-in-waiting that is coming.”
The theme for the Conference is: ‘Rallying for Victory 2024, Ghana’s Hope’.
Some national executives were seen meddling in the elections and openly took sides.
This led to supporters of some candidates expressing their anger at seeing some national executives at the venue.
National Chairman of the party, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo and National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, were among the national executives spotted at the conference.
