NPP Regional Elections: New Faces, Familiar Hands Emerge

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has elected a new crop of regional chairmen across 15 regions, producing a mixture of leadership changes and continuity as the opposition party steps up its internal reorganization ahead of the 2028 general elections. The elections, held on Saturday, August 15, 2026, saw several high-profile figures capture regional leadership positions, while a number of incumbent chairmen successfully defended their mandates. Among the most significant outcomes were the victories of former Health Minister Dr Bernard Okoe-Boye in Greater Accra, Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, popularly known as COKA, in Ashanti, and Ignatius Kwesi Afrifa in Western Region.

Other notable outcomes included the retention of Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, in Bono; Mohammed Baatima Adam, known as Adam Samba, in Northern; Fusheini Nurudeen in North East; Iddrisu Sulemana in Savannah; and Makafui Kofi Woanyah in Volta. The results point to a combination of continuity and change within a party seeking to rebuild its grassroots structures following the 2024 general election and prepare for another major electoral contest in 2028.

In Ahafo, Robert Sarfo-Mensah emerged as the new NPP Regional Chairman in Ahafo after securing 65 votes, leading to the defeat of Justice Appiah Antwi, who obtained 56 votes, and Kwabena Owusu Sekyere, who polled 35. His election marks a change in leadership in the region and places responsibility on the new administration to strengthen the party’s organization and electoral machinery ahead of 2028. While Ashanti Region saw one of the most closely watched contests ended with Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, popularly known as COKA, taking control of the NPP’s Ashanti Regional structure. COKA defeated Dr Henry Kwabena Kokofu, polling 658 votes against Kokofu’s 269, according to the provisional results reported after the election. His victory ends Bernard Antwi Boasiako’s tenure as Ashanti Regional Chairman and brings a new political figure to the leadership of the region that has traditionally served as one of the NPP’s strongest electoral bases. The scale of COKA’s victory gives him a strong mandate, but his bigger challenge will be converting that internal victory into renewed grassroots cohesion and electoral strength.

The Bono Region however saw Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, retained as the Bono Regional chairman after emerging victorious in a five-way contest. He secured 201 votes, comfortably ahead of Yaw Afful with 44 and Joseph Mensah with 31. With Afari Gyan and Kwabena Oppong recording no votes in the reported results. His re-election provides continuity for the party in Bono as it seeks to rebuild its parliamentary and presidential support. While Bono East gave an opportunity to Ibrahim Bukari Baba to win the Bono East Regional chairmanship after defeating Thomas Adu Appiah. Baba secured 180 votes against Adu Appiah’s 73, with one rejected ballot recorded. The result is particularly important because early reports occasionally confused the Bono and Bono East outcomes. Abronye DC won in Bono Region, while Ibrahim Bukari Baba emerged in Bono East.

In the Central Region, Joseph Kobinah Esibu emerged as the new NPP Central Regional Chairman after defeating Percy Dennis. Esibu polled 278 votes, while Dennis obtained 161. His victory represents another change in the party’s regional leadership and comes as the NPP seeks to rebuild its organisational structures and regain electoral ground in the Central Region. Eastern Region also saw Jeff Konadu Addo retained as the Eastern Regional chairman after defeating Albert Kwadwo Boa-Agyemang. Konadu secured 405 votes against Boa-Agyemang’s 292. His victory gives him another opportunity to consolidate the party’s structures in a region regarded as an important component of the NPP’s electoral base.

The Country’s capital endorsed Former Health Minister and former Ledzokuku MP Dr Bernard Okoe-Boye as he secured one of the day’s most decisive victories in Greater Accra. He defeated Alfred Boye to become the new Regional Chairman. Citi Newsroom reported a 490-to-172 victory, while a later Graphic report gave the figures as 488 to 173. The difference however is an indicator that the figures should be treated as provisional until the party’s final certified results are issued. Regardless of the minor discrepancy, Okoe-Boye’s victory was decisive. He takes over from Divine Otoo Agorhom, who did not seek another term. The Greater Accra position is strategically significant because of the region’s large electorate and intense political competition. Okoe-Boye will therefore face the task of strengthening constituency structures and improving the NPP’s appeal across a politically diverse region.

In the Northern Region, the Incumbent Mohammed Baatima Adam, popularly known as Adam Samba, retained the Northern Regional chairmanship. He secured 215 votes to defeat Inusah Amadu, who polled 122. His re-election provides continuity as the NPP seeks to protect its existing parliamentary seats and expand its representation in the Northern Region. Elsewhere in the North East Region, Fusheini Nurudeen also retained his position as NPP Regional Chairman in the North East. He polled 92 votes against Sulley Sambian’s 64, with 156 valid votes recorded in the chairmanship contest. The result gives Nurudeen another mandate to coordinate the party’s regional organization and grassroots mobilization in the North East Region.

The delegates in the Oti Region also gave power to Dr Frank Yirenkyi with him emerging as the new NPP Regional Chairman in Oti. His victory represents a change from incumbent Evans Yaw Dapaah, who had been among the contenders for the position. Yirenkyi had entered the contest promising to rebuild the party, unite its membership and improve its electoral performance. Before the election, he pointed to a decline in the NPP’s presidential vote in the region between 2020 and 2024 as evidence of the scale of the task facing the party. His immediate challenge will be turning those pledges into a functioning grassroots campaign capable of improving the NPP’s fortunes in a region where the party has yet to secure a parliamentary seat.

In the Savannah Region, Alhaji Iddrisu Sulemana retained the Savannah Regional chairmanship, but his victory was among the closest of the election. He defeated former Ghana Water Limited Managing Director Dr Clifford Abdallah Braimah by just four votes, securing 92 votes against Braimah’s 88. The narrow margin makes Savannah one of the clearest examples of the competitive nature of the regional elections. Sulemana had campaigned on strengthening unity and grassroots mobilization as he sought another mandate. His victory now gives him the responsibility of bringing together supporters on both sides of the contest.

The Upper East Region saw Elvis Figo Awonekai emerged as the new NPP Regional Chairman in the Upper East. He secured 177 votes, defeating Dr Moses Kwabena Atinga, who obtained 123 votes. Patrick Ayaaba polled 13, Filson Kweku Awankuah 18 and Osman M. Konkonba had a vote. The result brings an end to Anthony Namoo’s eight-year tenure as regional chairman. Namoo had announced before the election that he would not seek another term. Awonekai therefore inherits a regional structure with the task of translating the party’s internal reorganization into stronger electoral performance in 2028.

Upper West Region also saw Abdul-Aziz Abdu-Rahaman, popularly known as Chairman White, retained the Upper West Regional chairmanship. He secured 173 votes to defeat his contender, Kantong Alaska, who polled 86. The election was not without controversy, however, as reports indicated that delegates from Nandom raised objections during the exercise. Despite the disruption, Abdul-Rahaman emerged victorious. His renewed mandate puts him in charge of the party’s regional organization as it attempts to consolidate its support and expand its parliamentary representation.

Meanwhile, in the Volta Region, Makafui Kofi Woanyah retained the NPP Volta Regional chairmanship for the third consecutive time after defeating Joseph Wallace Homenya. Provisional results put Woanyah on 169 votes and Homenya on 148, giving the incumbent a 21-vote victory. The contest reflected two competing approaches: continuity under Woanyah and a call for new leadership from Homenya’s supporters. Woanyah’s victory means he will continue to oversee the party’s regional affairs as the NPP attempts to strengthen its organization and rebuild support in the Volta Region.

In the Western Region, Ignatius Kwesi Afrifa emerged as the new NPP Western Regional Chairman. The former Amenfi West parliamentary candidate secured 265 votes, defeating Abdul Ganiyu Mohammed, who obtained 102. Afrifa’s victory gives him responsibility for leading the party’s regional organization at a time when the NPP is seeking to strengthen its grassroots structures and improve its electoral gains. But The regional reorganization was not completed on August 15 as Western North was scheduled to hold its regional executive elections on Sunday, August 16, making it the final region outstanding from the nationwide exercise. The outcome of that election will complete the list of regional chairmen for the NPP’s 2026–2030 organizational cycle.

The August 15 results reveal a party balancing experience with a demand for fresh leadership. Incumbents retained control in several regions, including Bono, Northern, North East, Savannah, Upper West and Volta. At the same time, new chairmen emerged in strategically important regions such as Ashanti, Greater Accra, Central, Western, Ahafo, Oti, Upper East and Bono East. The pattern could have implications beyond the regional offices. Regional chairmen play a central role in coordinating constituency organizations, mobilizing grassroots supporters, resolving internal disagreements and supporting the party’s parliamentary and presidential campaigns. Their performance will therefore be closely watched as the NPP moves from internal elections to the more difficult task of rebuilding its electoral machinery.

For the newly elected chairmen, the real test begins after the celebrations. The NPP’s regional elections were conducted as part of a broader reorganization following the party’s defeat in the 2024 general election. The new leadership is expected to strengthen party structures, improve internal cohesion and reconnect with voters ahead of the 2028 elections. The results have already changed the political map within the party. COKA now takes charge in Ashanti, Okoe-Boye assumes leadership in Greater Accra, Esibu takes over in Central, Afrifa in Western and Yirenkyi in Oti, while experienced figures such as Abronye DC, Adam Samba, Fusheini Nurudeen, Iddrisu Sulemana, Abdul-Aziz Abdu-Rahaman and Woanyah have secured fresh mandates.

Whether the changes translate into electoral gains will depend largely on how effectively the new regional executives unite their respective factions, strengthen constituency structures and reconnect the party with voters. For the NPP, therefore, the August 15 elections were not simply about choosing regional chairmen. They were the opening phase of a much larger effort to rebuild a national political organization capable of competing effectively in 2028.

By: Joyce Owusu