The upcoming Regional Conference of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) promises to be a “house cleaning” exercise, with many of the current executives likely to lose their positions to new ones.
The conference, slated for next few months, could witness massive shake-up in the regional hierarchy from the chairmanship up to the youth organiser positions, with reports that new candidates are fast gaining grounds in the ongoing campaign. Some of the likely faces set to come on board may include Mr. T.K Braimah, who is hotly chasing the incumbent chairman, Mr. Yaw Obimpeh out of office.
The incumbent, according to information available to The Chronicle, has lost favour with the high ranking members of government and the party and is said to be clinching onto a last straw of hope of incumbency.
The calm and unassuming Thomas Braimah, a business magnate, appears to be the toast of party supporters and foot soldiers, as his name features prominently in text messages and phone-in radio programmes.
A reliable source told The Chronicle that Mr. Braimah, who earned the lucrative contract of constructing the Abinkyi Market, has favours with the Presidency and is the one the party is banking upon to achieve the ambitious 30% total votes in the region.
His Achilles heels, which the paper gathered was being used against him by his opponent, is his partial tribal lineage and tribal cards, which his opponents are trying, though unsuccessful, to use against him.
Mr. Braimah’s father hails from Bolgatanga and his mother is a pure Ashanti, the Queen mother of Oyoko in the Effiduase Asokore.
He also enjoys support from some leading party activists and past chairmen of the party, such Mr. Frank Osei Mensah, who is said to be leading the campaign to ensure the overthrow of the incumbent, Mr. Yaw Obimpeh.
The acting Regional Secretary of the party, Mr. Raymond Tandoh, is highly tipped to assume substantive position, unless according to some members of the Communication Team, something miraculously happen on the voting day.
Mr. Tandoh, who has been acting as the regional scribe since the exit of the current Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Joseph Yamin, is facing opposition from the Ashanti Regional Director of the now defunct Non-Formal Education Division of the Ghana Education Service, Mr. Mike Amedior.
Mr. Amedior, who is also a Kumasi-based FIFA Referee, stands little chance at overthrowing the incumbent Secretary, Raymond Tandoh, a Chartered Accountant, working with Poku Trading Company Limited in Kumasi.
The incumbent Regional Women’s Organizer, Ama Sarpomaa, is also set to maintain her position as it is yet to know if anyone will contest her.
YAMIN’S BOYS
Another interesting angle to the upcoming regional conference of the party is the active interest of the former Deputy Youth and Sports Minister, Hon. Joseph Yamin.
Though now the Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, a position many see as an opportunity for him to serve the party again, Mr. Yamin, this paper can confirm, is closely involved in campaigning to make sure some of his favourite candidates secure their slots, in order to consolidate his position within the regional echelon of the party.
The Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister is said to be leading massive campaign for the victories of three candidates; namely Brogya Genfi for Youth Organizer, Samed Akalilu for Propaganda Secretary and Kwame Zu for Deputy Regional Secretary.
The battle for the Youth Organizer post, the closest of all the elections, is between Brogya Genfi and the incumbent Kweku Boahen.
Brogya Genfi, known famously as ‘Armani’, has recently soared in popularity following his appearance on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo Programme, hosted by Kwame Sefa Kayi.
He lost narrowly four years ago to Kweku Boahen during the party’s Youth Conference held at Mampong, but this time he is set to grab the position, thanks to the hard work of his boss, Mr. Joseph Yamin.
Kweku Boahen, a few months ago, went viral on the airwaves, firing tantrums at Yamin for allegedly working behind the scenes to unseat him.
According to reports, Mr. Yamin is not on good terms with some of the current executives and wishes that most of them lose their seats. The incumbent Youth Organizer would, however, not go down without putting up a sterling fight and has vowed to retain his seat no matter the cost.
Another Yamin’s favourite, Samed Akalilu, who now heads the Regional Communication team, is highly tipped to secure the Propaganda Secretary position from the incumbent, Alfa Justice, who is currently on suspension for “shit-bombing” regional executives some months ago.
He is currently battling to swim out of suspension to enable him contest again. A Lecturer at Kumasi Polytechnic, Kwame Zu, is also campaigning vigorously to secure the Deputy Regional Secretary slot with other candidates.
