The Central Regional branch of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has elected new officers to run the party for the next four years.
In a keenly contested race, Mr Andrews Sefa polled 386 to beat his rival, Mr Ebenezer Femi, who polled 206 votes, to become the new Central Regional Chairman of the party.
For the position of regional organiser, Mr Kwadwo Aduamoah polled 313 votes to beat Mr Kwame Ayoma, who secured 291 votes.
The regional youth organiser position went to Mr Charles Kobina Enin, who polled 343 votes to beat Mr Mark Bart Fletcher, who had 260 votes.
Only eight votes separated Mr Alex Baiden and Mr Joseph Yartei Asibu (299 to 291 votes) in the contest for the position of deputy youth organiser.
The positions of regional secretary, frist and second regional vice chairpersons and women's organiser went unopposed.
Elections
The elections were conducted by officials of the regional directorate of the Electoral Commission, led by the Deputy Regional Director, Mr Anthony Nyame, under the supervision of some national executive of the party, including Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, the 2012 flag bearer of the party.
The executive were sworn in by Mr Denies Ofosu Appiah, a legal practitioner and executive committee member of the party.
Speaking at the regional conference, Dr Nduom urged the delegates to continue to propagate the good aims of the party to the Ghanaian electorate.
He said Ghanaians had tasted both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) in government and must now bring the PPP to power to see what it could do for the nation.
He said PPP had knowledgeable and incorruptible people with rich experiences and proven ability to lead the country to develop.
Dr Nduom exhorted the party faithful to remain resolute and challenge the Ghanaian voter to realise that the current state of hopelessness that had engulfed the nation was a direct result of the way they voted.
He urged Ghanaians to consider electing people who had the needs of the Ghanaian masses at heart.
Ghanaian masses
The South Campus of the University College of Education, Winneba, was agog on Saturday with eager party supporters who had assembled as early as 7 a.m.
In a frenzied atmosphere, the party underscored its preparedness to compete favourably in the 2016 elections.
The contestants themselves showed how they were prepared to change the face of the party and run a more competitive political party that is ready to stake a claim in Ghana’s politics.
Delegates
The delegates underscored their seriousness and determination to take the PPP to another level, during their speeches preceding the elections.
Some were combative and very strong in their convictions about their involvement in the party, right from its inception till now, and expressed the belief that the time was ripe for delegates of the region to reward them for their hard work.
The most beautiful thing about the PPP election was that all the vigorous campaigning was done in an atmosphere of friendship.
The Operations Director of the party, Nana Ofori Owusu, under whose jurisdiction the exercise was organised, took the contestants through the electoral rules and entreated them to comport themselves to send the signal out that the PPP was a different political party with a mission of changing the face of politics in Ghana.
And indeed, the friendly atmosphere that characterised the event really underscored the PPP's determination to bring a new brand of political contest that deals more with ideas and finesse rather than thuggery and brawn that have been the hallmark of intra-party contest on the Ghanaian political scene.
Solidarity
After the introduction of the contestants and solidarity messages from both the NDC and the NPP, all was set for the elections. Just then, the conference ground was electrified by the arrival of the party's leader and flag bearer for the 2012 election, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom.
