Upper East NPP contestants in heated campaign
Barring any hitches, delegates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Upper East Region will on Saturday, April 21, 2018 vote for 52 aspirants who are vying for 10 executive positions of the party. There are seven female contestants in the race.
Already, the various aspirants have hit the ground running with serious campaigns to attract the over 300 voters in the region. The municipality, particularly the NPP regional office located on the commercial street, is awash with various posters of the aspirants, including the Notice of Polls ahead of the election; while the aspirants have also pasted their campaign posters on their vehicles.
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The aspirants are busy criss-crossing the region, and its capital Bolgatanga is buzzing with political activities. Some of the aspirants have formed campaign teams and are busily working on the ground, while others are using various radio stations to highlight their respective visions for the party.
The vetting committee completed its work on March 29, 2018, paving the way for the aspirants to slug tomorrow.
Positions
The contestants are competing for positions such as regional chairman, first and second vice chairman, regional secretary, youth organiser, assistant secretary, Nasara coordinator, women organiser, regional organiser and regional treasurer.
For the regional chairman position, five people are contesting: Lawyer Anthony Namoo, Alhaji Abdallah Otito Achuliwor, Mohammed Murtala Ibrahim (the incumbent who took over after the demise of the late Adams Mahama), Mr Joseph Agongo and Mr Filson Awankua.
Seven people are contesting for the first vice chairman position. They are Jonathan Jambeidu, Isaac Adawele Atasige, Moses Kwabena Atinga, Imoro Malik, Alhaji Abubakari Saddique Jamal Deen, Osman Mahamudu Konkonaba and Anaba Isaac Hakeem.
Five people, including a female, are contesting for the position of second vice chairman. They are Bugri Abubakar Ibrahim, Ahmed Shaibu Dardire, Paul K. Yin, Alogitera Wewoliamo Richard and Diana Aburiya Asuure.
There are six people vying for the regional secretary position. They are Abdul-Karim Amandi, Amadu Mogtar Bagya, Cletus Innocent Ayabire (incumbent), Roland Minyila, Emmanuel Nsor-Atindana and Samuel Assam Passim.
The post of assistant secretary has three people contesting. They are Atangiba Mohammed Shakiru, Richard Akamah and Elvis Figo Atia Awonekai.
For the regional organiser position, six people are in the race. They are Alhaji Issifu Mumuni, Agana Bawa Rashid, Stanley Mort Kurug, Charles Taleog Ndanbon, Gregory Abasang L. and Jerry Asamani.
The regional treasurer position has four contesting, namely Joseph Awinpanga Akanfaba, Mboda Osman Kariyamah, Daniel Nsobila Ayine and Edmund Bombande.
The regional women organiser position has six women competing. They are Janet Lamisi Asumda, Margaret Akagwire, Florence Kuribila S., Ayamba Georgina, Faustina Agetera and Augustina Atanga.
Five people are contesting the regional youth organiser post. They are Solomon Latif Yenah, Lukman Abubakar Sorogho, Andrew Atariwini, Abubakari Atosaana Ayuba and Samuel Atiru Amangdedam.
The Nasara coordinator position has five people contesting and they are Sule Musah Delwinde, Ambelle Awudu, Alhaji Mohammed Siitah Abubakari, Baba Kamara and Ustarz Seidu Abass.
Aspirants
Some of the aspirants, when contacted, indicated their resolve to increase the fortunes of the party in the region which is a stronghold of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). There are 15 seats in the region and the NDC is occupying 12 while the NPP is holding three seats. The NPP managed to increase their number of seats from one to three in the 2016 election.
One of the aspirants, Lawyer Namoo, however, contended that garnering more votes in future elections would largely depend on which of the five contestants for the regional chairman position had character, capacity, competence, courage and compassion. According to Lawyer Namoo, he stood tall among the other contestants in exhibiting those traits needed to win more seats for the NPP in the region.