The resounding cheers that greeted Mr Stephen Ayensu Ntim at the Accra Sports Stadium when he waved at delegates ahead of the contest gave a hint that victory was beckoning.
Even before the Electoral Commission (EC), at 0420 hours announced Mr Ntim winner of the NPP’s National Chairmanship race, his supporters were already jubilating as the provisional results gave them a sneak peek of the outcome.
The man who had been chasing his dream of becoming the NPP’s National Chairman since 2005 but unsuccessful on four consecutive occasions finally broke the deadlock to mark his 64th birthday.
Mr Ntim beat his closest competitor, Stephen Asamoah-Boateng by polling 4,014 votes as against Mr Asamoah- Boateng’s 1,010 votes.
The results for the other candidates in the Chairmanship race are: Gifty Asantewa Ayeh, 44; Sammy Crabbe, 32; Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Ekumfi, 101; Akwasi Osei-Adjei, 20, and Kwabena Abankwa-Yeboah, 294.
Mr John Boadu, the incumbent General Secretary, lost to Mr Justin Frimpong Kodua.
The winners for the other national executive positions are: Henry Nana Boakye, Organiser; Danquah Smith Buttey, 1st Vice Chairman; Dr Charles Dwamena, Treasurer; Kate Gyamfua, Women’s Organiser, and Salam Mohammed Mustapha, Youth Organiser.
Mr Freddie Blay, the immediate-past Chairman, NPP, swore all the newly-elected national officers into office after the EC declared them winners.
More than 6,700 delegates participated in the exercise.
The election was generally calm and peaceful.
Some 306 delegates made up of 291 TESCON delegates and 21 proxy voters were not allowed to cast their votes as a result of a court injunction.
The Party’s National Elections Committee said it had received the injunction last night, Friday, July 15, 2022 – a decision which did not go down well with some of the affected members.
Voting started late at about 1800 hours.
Mr Blay earlier attributed the delay to what he described as challenges with accreditation for some of the delegates.
However, the 26 voting centres established by the EC sped the process. Voting ended at about 2250 hours.
Mr Ntim, who looked elated when he delivered his victory speech, thanked the delegates, his family, and his campaign team for supporting him to clinch the seat.
“It’s been 20 years of wandering in the wilderness before clinching this position.
“I am going to cherish the Chairmanship position and I’ll make sure that it will be an enviable position…,” he said.
ashantibiz
