Ishmael Ashitey Retains Accra NPP Chairmanship

By: Rose Hayford Darko & Benjamin Xornam Glover, Tema | Sunday, 26 January 2014

It was all fun, excitement, lobbying and exchange of pleasantries when the Greater Regional NPP delegates converged in Tema to elect regional officers. The atmosphere was relaxed when the 33 candidates poised for various positions were given two minutes to address delegates prior ahead of voting. After the elections incumbent Chairman of the party, Mr Ishmael Ashitey retained his chairmanship for another term of office in the region. Mr Ashitey polled 344 votes out of the 550 votes cast while his main contender, Mr George Isaac Amoo obtained 205 votes. One ballot was rejected. The elections which was supervised the Greater Accra Regional Office of the Electoral Commission (EC) led by Mr. Alex Poku-Akubia saw a third candidate for the chairmanship position, Nii Akwei Addo withdrawing from the contest some few minutes to voting. The 575 delegates made up of the Council of Elders, Regional Executives, MPs, TESCON Executives, patrons and 16 constituency executives each from 31 out of the 34 constituencies in the region accredited to vote took part in the elections. Delegates from three constituencies namely Krowor, Okaikoi North and Okaikoi South were however absent at the conference as a result of a court injunction secured by some members of the party preventing them from holding constituency elections. Mr Poku-Akubia, the Regional Director of EC, after the counting of ballots declared Mr Ashitey as the winner amidst thunderous applause from the crowd that was inside the hall. Some called the victory “host and win” on account of Mr Ashitey being a former MP for Tema East. Other executives elected were Mr. Alfred Boye, First Vice-Chairman; Mr Albert B. Okyere, Second Vice-Chairperson; Mr. Mohammed Adjei Sowah Secretary; and Mr. Adam Sabo Abdul-Rahman, Assistant Secretary. The rest were Nii Kwartey Kwatei, Treasurer; Mr. Achibald Cobbina, Organizer; Madam Joyce Konokie Zempare, Women’s Organizer; Mr. Prince Obeng, Youth Organizer; and Alhaji Aminu Abu, Nasara Coordinator. In a post-election interview, Mr Ashitey said it was a very fair election and commended his opponent for putting up a great fight. He said the victory is not his personal victory but one for the NPP and the Greater Accra Region. He pledged to work closely with all the aspirants to uplift the party in the region and also to work hard to win not less than 20 parliamentary seats for the NPP in the Greater Accra Region from the current 14 seats. He mentioned Nlegshie Amamfrom, Krowor, Ablekuma Central, Ningo Prampram, Sege and Ledzokuku as constituencies the party was targeting to win in the next elections to add up to the 14 seats. A Former Mayor of Accra, Stanley Nii Adjiri Blankson who chaired the function said this was by far the most transparent elections the NPP had ever recorded in the region. He called on all contestants to respect the views of the delegates and rally behind those elected in order to re-engineer the image of the party in the Greater Accra Region. The newly elected party executives were sworn into office by a founding member of NPP in Greater Accra, Mr Ben Annan. The regional elections were generally peaceful and the team of police personnel led by Assistant Superintendent of Police, (ASP), and Mr Karim Atuluk commended delegates for the cooperation. ASP Karim Atuluk said a total of 100 police personnel were deployed for the conference, 50 of whom were deployed in the morning while the other 50, who were on standby were called in towards the close of the process to ensure that nothing untoward happened. The conference was scheduled to start at 8:30 am however last minute lobbying and campaigning by the various candidates pushed the opening of conference to 12 noon. The conference grounds itself was washed with various party posters of candidates seeking the mandate of the delegates while food vendors as well as souvenir dealers also lined up the premises to cash in on the occasion Detailed results as declared by the EC 1. Chairmanship Ishmael Ashitey – 344 George Isaac Amoo- 205 Rejected – 1 2. First Vice-Chairman Alfred Boye – 346 Gladys Mann Dedey – 194 3. Second Vice-Chairman Albert B. Okyere – 287 Winfred Nene Teye Agble – 147 Boye Laryea – 105 4. Secretary Mohammed Adjei Sowah – 430 Redford Adjei Frempong – 109 5. Assistant Secretary Adam Sabo Abdul Rahman – 273 Daniel Parker France – 233 Nii Okuley Annan – 43 6. Treasurer Nii Kwartey Kwatei – 293 Humphrey Ayim Dake – 247 7. Organizer Archibald Cobina – 350 Francis Mensah -96 William K. Akakpo – 52 Victor Okuley Nortey- 77 8. Women’s Organizer Joyce Konokie Zempare – 364 Vida Owusu – 115 Naomi Rachel Allotey- 60 9. Youth Organizer Prince Obeng – 167 Isaac Owuraku Amofa – 104 Richard Kweku Mills – 24 Nii Adjetey London – 9 Philip E.K. Doe – 144 Ismael Pius Torto – 24 Kwesi Prince Yeboah – 67 10. Nasara Coordinator Alhaji Aminu Abu – 13 Alhaji Suraj Ahmed – 10 Abdul Azziz Yahaya – 7 Amin Abdul Azziz – 1 http://graphic.com.gh/news/politics/16408-ishmael-ashitey-retains-accra-npp-chairmanship.html