Newly elected New Patriotic Party (NPP) Third National Vice Chairman Nana Akomea has attributed Kojo Bamba's emergence as First National Vice Chairman to the security-focused message he took to delegates and the voting system used at the party's national conference.
According to Nana Akomea, while several candidates relied heavily on their experience, long-standing service and positions within the NPP, Kojo Bamba adopted a different campaign strategy by presenting himself as someone who could provide security for party members.
He said Bamba encouraged delegates to select two of the established candidates and then “add” him to their choices.
“He said vote for two of them and add me,” he said.
Nana Akomea made the comments on Joy News' PM Express programme on Monday, October 5, 2026, a day after the NPP's national delegates' conference at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.
Kojo Bamba, whose official name is Kojo Fosu Boadu, secured 3,116 votes to top the contest involving 13 candidates for the three vice chairmanship positions.
Henry Nana Boakye, popularly known as Nana B, followed with 3,061 votes, while Nana Akomea, a former Managing Director of STC, placed third with 2,981 votes.
Why Bamba's message stood out
Nana Akomea said the leading candidates generally presented themselves to delegates on the basis of their experience, party service and established positions within the NPP.
Bamba, he said, chose to differentiate himself by acknowledging the experience of the other contenders rather than presenting his campaign as a direct competition with them.
His central message, according to Nana Akomea, was that he would focus on the security of party members.
“None of us was very focused on security,” he said, describing Bamba's message as “clever because it was different”.
Nana Akomea said the message appeared to resonate with delegates, who subsequently developed a slogan around it and sang it whenever Bamba visited them during the campaign.
The only constant
Nana Akomea said his own interactions with delegates gave him an indication of the extent to which Bamba's message had gained traction.
He recalled instances where delegates told him they intended to vote for him alongside another established candidate but would also include Bamba in their selections.
“Nobody told me we are going to vote for you and Mustapha Hameed or we are going to vote for you and Nana B,” he said.
“They said you are one of the two people plus Bamba.”
He therefore described Bamba as “the only constant in all the conversations”.
Voting system also played a role
Beyond the campaign message, Nana Akomea said the voting arrangement at the conference also worked in Bamba's favour.
Delegates were required to select three candidates in the contest rather than voting separately for the First, Second and Third National Vice Chairmanship positions.
Nana Akomea said the system meant that a candidate who became a regular choice among delegates could benefit significantly from the voting pattern.
Security concerns among grassroots
Nana Akomea further linked the reception of Bamba's message to what he described as security concerns among some NPP supporters and grassroots members.
He alleged that some NPP officials and supporters had been subjected to attacks by supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during a by-election and following the December 2024 general election.
He also claimed that some forms of harassment were still occurring.
“The party feels under siege,” he said.
According to Nana Akomea, Bamba's promise to help make party members feel safer therefore connected with concerns within the grassroots.
Despite Bamba's election, Nana Akomea cautioned against interpreting the outcome as a direct indication of who would lead the NPP into the 2028 general election.
“You should not come in with the impression that the 2028 election is about Kojo Bamba,” he said.
He stressed that leadership of the NPP was a collective responsibility.
East Legon: 'Why do you allow containers everywhere in such an expensive area?' ...
I gave each NPP delegate GH¢400 for transport - Nana Akomea
Investors favour 364-day treasury bill as bids hit GH¢474m
Police probe three children found dead in abandoned vehicle boot at Tamale zoo
Mahama will win fight against waste in one year — Mahama Ayariga
'Ghana’s rape law does not recognise men as rape victims' — Young Lawyers Associ...
Boakye Agyarko urges NPP members to close ranks after national delegates confere...
Four injured in alleged military brutalities in Bunkpurugu
Ayariga questions change from ‘24 hour markets’ to ‘district model markets’
Ayariga challenges BoG to cite law behind arrests over cedi money bouquets
