Kumasi, Ghana – The race for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairmanship has erupted into a gripping two-horse contest, with party heavyweights Odeneho Kwaku Appiah (COKA) and Dr. Henry Kwabena Kokofu emerging as the frontrunners in what is shaping up to be one of the most fiercely contested internal elections in the party’s recent history.
With the Ashanti Region regarded as the NPP’s political stronghold, the outcome of the chairmanship race is expected to play a pivotal role in determining the party’s rebuilding efforts and electoral strategy ahead of the 2028 general elections. Political observers say the battle has quickly become the centrepiece of the regional executive polls, attracting widespread attention from party faithful across the country.
COKA, a seasoned grassroots mobiliser and former Afigya Kwabre South Constituency Chairman, enters the contest with a formidable support base built over years of party activism. Having mounted a strong challenge in the previous regional elections, he is campaigning on promises of strengthening party structures, restoring unity, and delivering results through what he describes as “less talk and more action.”
Standing in his way is former Bantama Member of Parliament and former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Chief Executive, Dr. Henry Kwabena Kokofu, whose campaign is anchored on experience, discipline, and reconciliation. Kokofu has pledged to heal divisions within the party, improve internal administration, and reposition the Ashanti NPP for a stronger comeback in future elections.
Campaign activities have intensified across the Ashanti Region, with both candidates embarking on constituency tours, meeting delegates, and outlining competing visions for the future of the party. Posters, rallies, and media engagements have heightened the political atmosphere, underscoring the significance of the contest.
Although dozens of aspirants are contesting various regional executive positions, the chairman’s race has overshadowed all others, with delegates expected to decide between two experienced political figures offering contrasting leadership styles but sharing the common goal of restoring the NPP’s dominance in its electoral stronghold.
As anticipation builds, all eyes are on the delegates, whose votes will determine whether COKA’s grassroots appeal or Kokofu’s administrative experience will carry the day in a contest many believe could shape the future direction of the Ashanti NPP.
