BY DANIEL BAMPOE
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has completed its regional executive elections across the country, electing a new set of regional officers as the party intensifies efforts to reorganise its structures, rebuild its grassroots base and prepare for the 2028 general election.
The elections, held on Saturday, August 15, 2026, produced a mixture of new entrants and returning chairmen, with several of the contests becoming closely fought battles decided by relatively narrow margins.
Chairman Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC made mincemeat of his opponents for the Bono regional chairmanship position while Chairman Odeneho Kwaku Appiah- COKA defeated his only challenger, Henry Kwabena Kokofu by a wide margin.
The elections were supervised by officials of the Electoral Commission, with the results so far available being treated as provisional.
The outcome represents a significant stage in the NPP’s ongoing internal reorganisation following the party’s defeat in the 2024 general election. The newly elected regional executives are expected to assume responsibility for strengthening party structures at the regional and constituency levels and improving mobilisation ahead of the next national election.
New regional chairmen emerge
Based on the provisional results available, Ignatius Kwesi Afrifa has been elected Western Regional Chairman, while Alhaji Iddrisu Sulemana emerged victorious in the Savannah Region.
In the Bono Region, incumbent Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, retained the chairmanship after securing 201 votes in a contest involving five candidates.
The Greater Accra Region elected Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, a former Minister of Health and former Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority, as its regional chairman.
In the Ashanti Region, Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, popularly known as COKA, recorded a decisive victory, polling 658 votes to defeat former Bantama MP and former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Chief Executive Officer Dr Henry Kwabena Kokofu, who obtained 269 votes.
The result gives COKA a substantial mandate in the region regarded as one of the NPP’s most important political strongholds.
In the Eastern Region, incumbent Jeff Konadu Addo retained his position after polling 405 votes against Albert Kwadwo Agyeman aka Chairman Cudjoe, who secured 292 votes.
Other elected chairmen include Joseph Kobinah Esibu in the Central Region, Robert Sarfo Mensah in the Ahafo Region, Mohammed Baatima Adam (Samba) in the Northern Region, Alhaji Mohammed Fuseini in the North East Region, Elvis Figo Awonekai, Upper East Region and Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman. Upper West Region.
In the Volta Region, Makafui Kofi Woanyah retained the chairmanship after polling 169 votes to defeat Joseph Wallace Homenya, who obtained 148 votes.
Dr Frank Yirenkyi emerged as chairman in the Oti Region, while Ibrahim Bukari Baba was elected Bono East Regional Chairman.
The Western North region elected Pious Vincent Abakah with 100 votes against two other contestants.
Close contests highlight internal competition
Some of the elections were decided by particularly narrow margins, underscoring the level of competition within the party’s regional structures.
The Savannah contest was among the closest, with Iddrisu Sulemana polling 92 votes against 88 for Dr Clifford Abdallah Braimah, a margin of only four votes.
Braimah, a former Managing Director of Ghana Water Limited, had entered the contest as a strong contender but narrowly lost the chairmanship to Sulemana.
In the Volta Region, Woanyah’s victory over Homenya was also relatively close, with the incumbent securing a 21-vote margin.
The Eastern Region recorded a more comfortable victory for Jeff Konadu Addo, who secured 405 votes compared with 292 for his opponent.
COKA records decisive Ashanti victory
The Ashanti Region produced one of the more emphatic results of the regional elections.
Odeneho Kwaku Appiah secured 658 votes, while Dr Henry Kwabena Kokofu obtained 269 votes.
COKA had expressed strong confidence ahead of the election and reportedly expected an overwhelming victory. His eventual margin gives him considerable political authority as he takes charge of the party’s regional organisation.
The Ashanti Regional Chairman will have the responsibility of coordinating the party’s activities across the region, working with constituency executives and leading mobilisation efforts as the NPP seeks to consolidate its traditional support base.
Abronye retains Bono position
In the Bono Region, Kwame Baffoe Abronye DC secured another term as regional chairman after polling 201 votes.
He defeated Joseph Mensah, who obtained 31 votes, Yaw Afful with 44 votes, while Evans Afari Gyan Yeboah and Kwabena Oppong recorded no votes.
Abronye’s retention means he will continue to oversee the party’s regional organisation and mobilisation activities.
The election also produced Kate Amponsah Agyare as First Vice Chairperson, while Kwadwo Agyekum won the Second Vice Chairmanship.
Kofi Ofosu Boateng was elected Regional Secretary with 187 votes, while Abdul Razak Oppong secured the Organiser position with 229 votes.
Eastern Region retains Konadu Addo
The Eastern Region, another important NPP stronghold, retained Jeff Konadu Addo as Regional Chairman.
He defeated Albert Kwadwo Agyeman 405 votes to 292, with 697 votes recorded and three rejected ballots.
Other winners in the Eastern Region included Twum Barima Boranteng as First Vice Chairman, Tony Osei Adjei as Secretary, Felix Osafo Marfo as Deputy Secretary and Jerry Osei Poku as Organiser.
Alfred Nkwa Aboagye won the Treasurer position, while Regina Bempong emerged as Women’s Organiser.
Samuel Osei Sarkodie won the Youth Organiser position, while Hussein Fadilu Fafana emerged as Nasara Organiser.
The results show a combination of retained leadership and changes across the regional executive structure.
Savannah records four-vote victory
The Savannah Region produced one of the most dramatic chairmanship contests.
Iddrisu Sulemana secured 92 votes to defeat Dr Clifford Abdallah Braimah, who polled 88.
Sulemana will now lead the NPP’s regional structure at a time when the party is seeking to strengthen its organisation and improve its electoral performance.
Other winners in the region include Aboagye Kwame as First Vice Chairman, Johnson Kwame Gyinde as Second Vice Chairman, Seidu Ayuba as Secretary and Sulemana Aminu Mayoyo as Deputy Secretary.
Raphael Mahama Akati was elected Organiser unopposed.
Woanyah survives challenge in Volta
In the Volta Region, incumbent chairman Makafui Kofi Woanyah secured another term after defeating Joseph Wallace Homenya.
Woanyah obtained 169 votes against Homenya’s 148.
His retention comes against the backdrop of discussions within the NPP over how the party can expand its support in a region where the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has traditionally enjoyed considerable electoral strength.
Woanyah is therefore expected to lead renewed organisational and mobilisation efforts aimed at making the NPP more competitive in the region ahead of 2028.
Northern and Upper regions also elect leaders
In the Northern Region, Mohammed Baatima Adam, popularly known as Samba, retained the regional chairmanship.
The Upper West Region also returned Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman as chairman, while Elvis Figo Awonekai emerged victorious in the Upper East Region.
In the North East Region, Alhaji Mohammed Fuseini was elected chairman.
The outcomes in the northern regions form part of the broader effort to reorganise the NPP’s regional structures and position them for the next electoral cycle.
A new phase of NPP reorganisation
The regional elections are expected to be followed by further internal elections as the NPP moves through its broader reorganisation programme.
The party is seeking to rebuild after the 2024 general election, in which it lost both the presidency and a significant number of parliamentary seats.
The performance has triggered calls within the party for stronger grassroots mobilisation, improved internal cohesion and a reassessment of its electoral strategy.
The new regional chairmen will consequently have a major role in translating the party’s national reorganisation agenda into action at the grassroots.
Their responsibilities will include coordinating constituency executives, mobilising supporters, resolving internal organisational challenges and preparing the party for future parliamentary and presidential elections.
The regional elections also pave the way for the next phase of the NPP’s internal electoral calendar, culminating in the election of its national executives.
With the party expected to open nominations for the national executive positions on Monday, August 17, attention will now shift from the regional contests to the national leadership race.
The national election is scheduled for October 3, 2026, when delegates will elect officers to lead the party through the next phase of its political reorganisation.
NPP regional chairmen elected
Western Region: Ignatius Kwesi Afrifa
Savannah Region: Alhaji Iddrisu Sulemana
Bono Region: Kwame Baffoe Abronye
Greater Accra Region: Dr Bernard Okoe Boye
Ashanti Region: Odeneho Kwaku Appiah
Eastern Region: Jeff Konadu Addo
Central Region: Dr Joseph Kobinah Esibu
Western North Region: Pious Vincent Abakah
Ahafo Region: Robert Sarfo Mensah
Northern Region: Mohammed Baatima Adam (Samba)
North East Region: Alhaji Mohammed Fuseini
Upper East Region: Elvis Figo Awonekai
Upper West Region: Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman
Volta Region: Makafui Kofi Woanyah
Oti Region: Dr Frank Yirenkyi
Bono East Region: Ibrahim Bukari Baba
