NPP Decides: Stephen Ntim wins NPP Chairmanship position after 5th attempt

Stephen Ayensu Ntim has been elected as the new National Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the party’s National Delegates Conference.

Ntim was making his fifth attempt at contesting for the position, and his victory was tipped by some political pundits ahead of the elections since among the aspirants was the longest contestant for that position, earning massive sympathy votes.

He however served as the party’s first Vice Chairman between 2001 and 2005.

Mr Ntim beat off challenges from six other aspirants, who were heavily campaigning to succeed the outgoing chairman Freddie Blay, who was no longer contesting.

At the end of the contest, he polled 4014 votes. His closest challenger Stephen Asamoah Boateng polled 1010 votes. Mr George Kwabena Abankwah-Yeboah garnered 294 votes. 44 delegates voted for Gifty Asantewa Ayeh, aka Daavi Ama, and as Sammy Crabbe polled 32 votes, Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi had 101 votes, while Akwasi Osei-Adjei polled 20 votes.

Mr Ntim’s first attempt to be chairman of the party was in December 2005 when he lost to Peter Mac Manu, who was President Akufo-Addo’s campaign manager in the 2016 polls.

He lost again in 2010 when he came up against the late Jake Otanta Obetsebi-Lamptey and lost again to Paul Afoko in 2014.

The outgoing chairman of the party, Freddie Blay handed Mr Ntim his fourth defeat in 2018 at a delegate conference held in Koforidua.