The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has elected regional chairmen in 14 of Ghana's 16 regions, with results from the Oti and Savannah regions still pending. The elections, supervised by the Electoral Commission and secured by the Ghana Police Service, produced a mixed bag of continuity and change. Several incumbent chairmen retained their seats, while others were shown the exit by delegates.
In the Greater Accra Region, Benjamin Danso pulled off a major upset, unseating incumbent Emmanuel Nii Ashie-Moore with 515 votes against the latter's 295. Michael Tetteh Kwetey secured 161 votes, while Ibrahim Jajah obtained 63. The Central Region contest was a nail-biter, with lawyer Obeng Inkoom narrowly defeating incumbent Richard Kofi Asiedu by a mere five votes.
The Bono East Region also witnessed a changing of the guard, as Ali Abubakari Donkor wrested the chairmanship from incumbent Unas Owusu, polling 155 votes to Mr Owusu's 118, while Baba Shaibu obtained 107. The Upper West Region saw Adams Randy turn the tables on incumbent Abdul Nasir Saani, whom he lost to in 2022. Mr Randy polled 196 votes against Mr Saani's 164, with Samba Sankara receiving 28.
In contrast, several incumbents successfully defended their seats. In the Ashanti Region, Augustus Andrews Nana Kwasi retained the chairmanship with 814 votes, ahead of former Regional Organiser Isham Alhaji Yaw Bonsu, who polled 622. The Northern Region saw Godfred Apasinaba Wumbei win with 328 votes, defeating Alhaji Tanko Maida, who received 236.
The Western Region saw Nana Kojo Toku retain the chairmanship with 225 votes, beating Samuel Kwame Borlu, who polled 209, and George Arthur, who received 114. His re-election came on the back of a petition by the Apinto royal family, which had asked the party to bar him from contesting on the grounds that he is a gazetted chief and that the NDC Constitution prohibits chiefs from active party politics.
Other regions that saw incumbents retain their seats include the Upper East Region, where Alhaji Bolnaba secured another term with a 220-vote margin, and the Bono Region, where Nyamekye-Marfo secured more than 90 per cent of the votes. Volta Region's Mawutor Agbavitor went through unopposed, while Eastern Region's Ing. Dr Mark Oliver Kevor, North East's Alhaji Abdul Rauf Tanko Ibrahim, and Western North's Michael Aidoo all retained their seats.
The regional elections form part of the NDC's internal reorganisation ahead of the 2028 general elections. The party is expected to hold its National Congress on December 19, 2026, to elect its national officers. Ahead of the congress, Chief of Staff Dr Julius Debrah urged successful candidates to work with those they defeated to promote unity within the party.
Key points
- Incumbent chairmen in several regions, including Ashanti and Western regions, retained their seats.
- New faces emerged in regions such as Greater Accra and Bono East.
- The NDC's internal reorganisation is part of preparations for the 2028 general elections.
