The newly elected Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, popularly known as COKA, has called for unity within the party to enable it to develop effective political strategies to secure victory in the 2028 general elections.
He made the call while addressing party supporters after his election, declaring that internal divisions within the party must end under his chairmanship.
“We all have to unite with immediate effect. The style of political internal division in the NPP is cancelled under my chairmanship,” he declared.
He added that unity would be essential if the party was to regain political power in the 2028 elections.
“If we don’t unite, we can’t secure the political power we are seeking in the 2028 elections. Therefore, we must prioritise unity for a purpose. The Ashanti Regional executive elections are over; there is nothing left to divide us as party members. I am very confident that we will win the 2028 elections if we approach the elections in the Ashanti Region with unity,” he said.
Chairman Odeneho Kwaku Appiah further urged party members and supporters to begin preparations and campaign activities for the 2028 general elections immediately following the regional executive elections.
“I am here announcing to all NPP members in the Ashanti Region that under my chairmanship, the 2028 election campaign fully takes effect tonight. We are done with the elections and our objective of winning the 2028 elections is activated. I hold nothing against anyone, including my opponents and their supporters, and I believe they also hold nothing against me,” he said.
He commended the election organising committee, the Ghana Police Service and the Electoral Commission for their roles in ensuring what he described as a free and fair election.
“I want to thank the NPP fraternity and the delegates for the confidence they had in me, leading to my election as the Ashanti Regional Chairman. God bless you all for your efforts,” he said.
Odeneho Kwaku Appiah polled 663 votes to defeat his main challenger, former Bantama Member of Parliament, Dr. Henry Kwabena Kokofu, who garnered 269 votes.
The 394-vote margin gave COKA a commanding victory in a closely watched contest that attracted significant attention from party supporters and delegates across the region.
The newly elected regional executives include First Vice Chairman Amofa Jantoa, Second Vice Chairman Adai Poku Aikins, Regional Secretary Francis Adomako, Assistant Secretary Kyeretwie Bonsu, Regional Organiser Dennis Kwakwa, Regional Women’s Organiser Beatrice Owusu, Regional Youth Organiser Martin Ameyaw, Regional Communications Officer Keskine Owusu Poku, Regional Treasurer Helena Mensah and Nasara Coordinator Razak.
The election of the new executives was met with loud celebrations at the election centre, as supporters broke into drumming, singing and party chants.
Some delegates waved NPP flags and lifted the newly elected chairman onto their shoulders as they celebrated his victory.
COKA, who has now taken charge of the party’s organisational and mobilisation activities in the Ashanti Region, is expected to focus on strengthening the party’s grassroots structures and improving its preparedness for the 2028 general elections.
The National Representative who chaired the elections, Rita Asobayere, described the exercise as one of the freest and fairest elections she had witnessed.
She called on the newly elected executives to work together to unite the party and build a strong organisational base ahead of the 2028 elections.
“I’m very proud of myself today because this is an election everybody is talking about. The organisation was superb. I haven’t witnessed such a well-organised regional election before. Everything went on well as we expected, so it is one of the best elections so far,” she said.
She further advised the party’s grassroots in the Ashanti Region to make unity their major priority as they prepare for the 2028 general elections.
“What I will tell the party members and supporters in this region is that they should give all their support to the newly elected regional executives led by Chairman Odeneho Kwaku Appiah. Now, we don’t have any factions in the region, and there cannot be any after today’s elections. We have one party, the New Patriotic Party. So, we should all close our ranks and work hard towards the 2028 elections,” she reiterated.
She said a united party would be better positioned to support the NPP’s presidential and parliamentary candidates in the 2028 elections.
The election of the new executives marks the end of what has been described as the period of former Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi’s, dominance of the NPP in the Ashanti Region.
The new leadership now faces the task of rebuilding unity, strengthening the party’s grassroots structures and mobilising members ahead of the 2028 general elections.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/Isaac Justice Bediako
