Accra, May 29, GNA – Supporters of Mr Alfred Tiase Boye, a former Acting Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, celebrated prematurely when their preferred candidate for the 2022 Regional contest in Accra took a “comfortable lead” when the first ballot for the Chairmanship race was counted.
Their jubilation quickly turned into sorrow when the incumbent Greater Accra Regional Chairman, Mr Divine Otoo Agorhom, emerged winner of the keenly-contested race.
The NPP held its Greater Accra Regional elections at the Fantasy Dome, Trade Fair at La on Saturday, May 28, 2022. More than 600 delegates participated in the election.
At the end of the heated contest, Mr Agorhom beat Mr Boye by six votes – a repeat of the 2018 regional contest, where the former beat the latter by seven votes.
Out of a total valid vote cast of 674, Mr Agorhom polled 332 (representing 50.45 per cent), and Mr Boye, 326 votes (representing 49.54 per cent).
Mr Daniel Parker Odarlai France, the incumbent General Secretary also retained his seat, polling 424 votes. His closest contender, Emmanuel Korkwei Clottey, polled 198 votes.
The winners for the other positions are: Prince Obeng, Organiser; Baba Seidu Issaka, Assistant Secretary; Eric Nartey Yeboah, 2nd Vice Chairman; Grace Acheampong, Women Organiser, Racheal A.S. Tutu, Treasurer, and Moses Abor, Youth Organiser.
Mr John Boadu, General Secretary, NPP, swore the elected Greater Accra Regional executive of the Party into office.
The election was generally peaceful and calm, except a brief scuffle, which occurred in the middle of the voting process, caused by some TESCON members.
The media was not allowed to film the incident.
It was, however, gathered that the TESCON members “were not qualified to vote” but insisted on voting, hence the incident.
Mr Boadu, later told journalists that the said TESCON members were not supposed to participate in the regional elections.
“The reason why there are issues with TESCON at the regional level is that TESCON votes at two levels; region and national. At the national level, we insist that only national presidents should vote, but we don’t won’t the same presidents to vote in the regions.
“So at the regional level, we indicate that any other member should be represented, and that sometimes brings about the issues,” he explained.
There were also few agitations at the entrance of the auditorium in the morning as the Party insisted that delegates, media personnel, and observers who did not have accreditation would not be allowed to enter the auditorium.
To prevent the falsification of accreditation, all accreditation cards were embossed with barcodes canned by security officials.
Party officials told the GNA that the policy was to prevent impersonation and enhance security at the venue.
Speaking to journalists after the election, Mr Agorhom thanked the delegates for the confidence reposed in him and assured that the executives would work assiduously to help the NPP retain power in 2024.
“We’ll leave nothing to chance to appease the Party base and go all out to rally members for victory,” he said.
GNA