Newly elected Third Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Akomea, has attributed Kojo Fosu Boadu’s victory in the party’s vice chairmanship contest to a distinctive campaign message that resonated strongly with delegates. He explained that while most contenders relied on their experience and longstanding service to the NPP, Kojo Bamba presented himself as an additional choice focused on delegates’ security.
Kojo Bamba topped the contest with 3,116 votes to become First Vice Chairman, followed by Henry Nana Boakye with 3,061 votes and Nana Akomea with 2,987 votes. The three were elected from a field of 13 candidates who contested the three vice chairmanship positions at the NPP National Delegates Conference in Kumasi.
Nana Akomea explained that several leading candidates, including himself, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, Nana B and Richard Ahiagbah, largely presented their experience and previous service to the party as their qualification for office. Kojo Bamba, however, adopted a different approach by encouraging delegates to select two experienced candidates while adding him as their third choice.
“Bamba’s message was clever. Very clever. His message was different and that was a unique message, because none of us was focused on security.”
Nana Akomea
According to Nana Akomea, the approach gradually became a recurring pattern during his campaign visits across the country. He disclosed that delegates repeatedly told him they intended to vote for two of the experienced candidates and then add Kojo Bamba, making the latter a consistent name across different combinations.
The newly elected Third Vice Chairman explained that the voting system also worked in Kojo Bamba’s favour because delegates were required to select three candidates without assigning them specific positions. The candidate with the highest number of votes was subsequently designated First Vice Chairman, followed by the second and third highest vote earners.
Nana Akomea noted that this arrangement meant Kojo Bamba could benefit from appearing on different ballots alongside different combinations of candidates. He indicated that the party has since amended its system so that future aspirants will contest specific vice chairmanship positions, allowing delegates to vote directly for First, Second or Third Vice Chairman.
The NPP executive further disclosed that he anticipated Kojo Bamba’s victory by the final stages of the campaign. He recounted meeting him shortly before the election and discussing the likelihood of his success based on the consistent feedback coming from delegates.
Nana Akomea Explains Absence From NPP Executives’ Swearing-In
Newly elected Third Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Akomea also rejected claims that his absence from the introduction and swearing-in of the party’s new executives was linked to negotiations over the outcome of the vice chairmanship election. He explained that he left the Baba Yara Sports Stadium because of the prolonged voting process and was caught in heavy traffic when he returned.
Nana Akomea disclosed that voting began several hours later than originally scheduled, extending the process deep into the night. He noted that after returning to the venue around midnight and observing that long queues remained, he and his team decided to leave again and return at about 5:00 a.m.
The newly elected executive explained that he had appointed about 40 agents to monitor the voting and counting process on his behalf. He therefore remained informed about developments at the venue even while he was away from the stadium.
“I got there about 10 minutes after the swearing-in had been done. So, the story that Nana B and myself had gone to meet with Bamba to do some negotiation is total falsehood.”
Nana Akomea
Furthermore, the Former MP disclosed that he was travelling back to the stadium when he encountered severe traffic around the perimeter of the venue. By the time he entered the stadium, the introduction and swearing-in of the newly elected executives had already taken place.
He also dismissed suggestions that he deliberately stayed away because he was unhappy about finishing third in the vice chairmanship contest.
The Third Vice Chairman added that he never saw Nana B during the period in question apart from their earlier appearance as candidates. He therefore rejected the suggestion that the two had jointly negotiated with Kojo Bamba or the party to alter the order in which the vice chairmen would serve.
Nana Akomea acknowledged that he has not been formally sworn into office. He nevertheless indicated that he expects the matter to be addressed at the new executive’s first meeting, allowing him to formally assume the Third Vice Chairman position.
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