Nana Akomea, the newly elected Third National Vice Chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), has disclosed that he provided each delegate with GH¢400 as transport money during his campaign for the position. This approach was part of his unconventional campaign strategy, which lasted about five weeks and avoided traditional materials like posters, banners, T-shirts, or billboards. Akomea's campaign was conducted with a small team traveling in a single four-wheel-drive vehicle.
Akomea's decision to provide transport money to delegates was motivated by the long distances they had to travel to meet candidates, often at centres serving several constituencies. He cited the journey from Kintampo to Atebubu, which takes about three and a half hours, as an example of the challenges faced by delegates. Akomea suspected that some candidates may have given delegates more money, with some expecting more from him. He noted that it was possible that he was outspent by other candidates.
Akomea's campaign strategy was deliberately designed to test whether a campaign could succeed without traditional paraphernalia. He entered the race late, after nominations opened following the regional elections, leaving him about five weeks to campaign. Akomea traveled with a small team in one four-wheel-drive vehicle, while some other candidates used five-car convoys and advance teams. In some places, delegates mistook his vehicle for an advance car.
Despite his unconventional approach, Akomea polled 2,981 votes to place third in the contest for the three national vice chair positions. He expressed some disappointment at not finishing first or second, noting that the top four candidates were separated by narrow margins. Akomea paid little attention to opinion polls that placed him among the leading contenders.
Akomea described the NPP's national delegates' conference at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi as orderly, with little acrimony among the candidates. He also noted that there was "not a lot of open vote buying that you would see at such big elections." The contest was his first competitive partisan election since 2012, when he represented Okaikwei South in Parliament.
Akomea was not present for the swearing-in of the newly elected executives at the stadium, citing heavy traffic around the venue. He explained that he arrived at the stadium about 10 minutes after the ceremony had ended and therefore was not sworn in. Akomea expected the new executives to hold their first meeting the following day, when he would take the oath of office.
Looking ahead, Akomea stated that his attention is now on the NPP's campaign for the 2028 general election. He expressed his support for the party's presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, a former Vice-President. Akomea did not disclose his total campaign expenditure, explaining that receipts were still being compiled to include fuel, hotel accommodation, and food for himself and his team.
Key points
- Nana Akomea provided each delegate with GH¢400 for transport during his campaign.
- Akomea's campaign strategy avoided traditional materials like banners and billboards.
- Akomea polled 2,981 votes to place third in the contest for the three national vice chair positions.
