2020 Polls: The real work has begun – Mahama

Former president John Dramani Mahama has called for unity among the newly elected executives of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and those who were unsuccessful in the regional elections held over the weekend for victory in the 2020 general elections.

While congratulating the new executives of the party, Mr Mahama said “The real work has just begun and we must all put our shoulders to the wheel going forward.”

In a Facebook post, Mr Mahama noted that: “There are no losers in this contest. Our great party, the NDC, is the winner. It is time for the new executives to reach out and bring everyone on board for victory in election 2020.”

His full post read: “I have spoken to our newly elected Regional Chairmen and asked them to pass on my congratulatory wishes to all who won positions in the Regional Executive elections.

“I have also called and expressed my personal message of encouragement to many of the candidates who were not successful in the elections.

“As I have always said, there are no losers in this contest. Our great party, the NDC, is the winner. It is time for the new executives to reach out and bring everyone on board for victory in election 2020.

“The real work has just begun and we must all put our shoulders to the wheel going forward.

“I look forward to meeting you all when I begin visiting the constituencies and regions in the coming weeks.”

In the elections held over the weekend, Mr Joseph Ade Coker was retained as the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of NDC.



Mr Coker beat three-time contender Daniel Amartey and former Adentan Member of Parliament, Emmanuel Ashie Moore, in the contest.

In his victory speech, Mr Coker promised to justify the confidence reposed in him and ensure that the NDC wins the 2020 polls.

"God has shown favour to me... with Christ in our vessel, I'm most grateful to everybody, I'm most grateful to all those who have believed in me...I'll ensure that the NDC comes to power in the year 2020," he told delegates and party supporters.

In the Ashanti Region, former Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Joseph Yammin, lost his chair bid by 67 votes to Andrew Nana Kwasi, a businessman and former Ashanti Regional Vice Chairman of the party, who won by 668 votes as against Mr Yammin’s 611 after the polls were declared on Saturday, 1 September at the Twebeboah Kodua Senior High School in Kumawu.



Mr Yammin previously served as Deputy Youth and Sports Minister. He was later reshuffled and made Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister. While occupying that position, differences between him and the then-Regional Minister, resulted in his dismissal as a deputy minister.

During the voting, Mr Yammin stormed the venue with macho men in Black Hawk-branded t-shirts, creating confusion in the process.

In the Volta Region, former Minister of Transport, Aku Dzifa Ativor, failed in her chair bid as the incumbent John Kwadwo Gyapong retained his position with 491 votes as against that of Mrs Ativor's 374 votes.

Also, former Brong Ahafo Regional Minister and Ghana’s ex-Ambassador to Algeria, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo was elected unopposed as the Regional Chairman of the NDC.

The party’s incumbent BA Regional Secretary, Mr Dennis Yeboah Twumasi; and the candidate for the Zongo Caucus Coordinator slot, Alhaji Baba Gausu, were both elected unopposed.



Some 925 delegates took part in the polls at the Sunyani Jubilee Park.

Meanwhile, Mr Ibrahim Gariba, a businessman polled 434 votes to become First Vice Chairman, beating his two challengers, Mr Kwadwo Takyi-Arhin and Nasiru Yusifu Farafara, who polled 212 and 200 votes, respectively.

Mr Takyi-Arhin, who was Regional Youth Organiser of the party, automatically became the 2nd Vice Chairman since he came second in the vice chair contest.

The Deputy Regional Secretary position was won by Mr Mohammed Shamsudeen, who obtained 408 votes to beat Mr Isaac Donkor, who had 289 votes; while a third contender, Mr Mohammed Abdul had 156 votes.

For the Regional Organiser position, the incumbent, Mr Mohammed Seidu, was re-elected. He polled 543 to beat his close contender Prince Opoku-Mensah, who polled 198, while Mr Akwasi Lampo, had 114 votes.

The Deputy Regional Organiser position was contested by three candidates, but at the end of the polls, Mr Charles Asiedu emerged winner. He polled 553 votes to beat the other two contenders, Abdul Fatau Abass and Gabriel Kwarteng who garnered 145 and 124 votes, respectively.



Mr Gapson Kofi Raphael was elected as the Regional Treasurer with 480 votes to beat Joseph Abonkra Manu, who had 375 votes while Peter Suaka Lonyian emerged as a Deputy Regional Treasurer with 354 votes.

Mr Charles Akowua Tuffuor had 542 to become the Regional Communication Officer while Eric Adjei had 482 to win the Deputy Regional Communication Office contest.

Agnes Kusi, former Sunyani West District Chief Executive won the Women’s Organiser position with Fati Abubakar as her deputy, while Thomas Warlanyo Tsekpo became the Regional Youth Organiser.

The General Secretary of the party, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, swore the newly-elected regional officers into office to begin their four-year mandate and reminded them about the task of winning the 2020 polls.